The Weapon
by Icescale
Summary: Hinata was never kidnapped by the Cloud at the age of six nor was she returned to her clan. Instead, she was taken hostage by the Akatsuki as their new mound of clay, to be molded and pinched into a weapon of power.
1. Prologue: Part I

**Disclaimer for the entire story: I do not own the characters of Naruto or the plot. I only own the plot of this story, written purely for amusement.**

* * *

The Hyuga Compound was silent under a veil of cloudy night, a peacefully deceiving harbinger. It wasn't strange to hear the quiet, for the Hyuga were a taciturn, albeit proud, family, and with every right, for they possessed one of the most precious and oldest eyes in all of Konoha. However, the value wasn't because their eyes were beautiful: pale, swirling pearls. No, it was because of the power that lay within those eyes, the all-seeing Byakugan.

The Byakugan gave the Hyuga eyes in the back of their head, and not only that, but the sides and the front, too. Three hundred, sixty-degree vision, they were the best bet of every hide-and-seek game. Furthermore, this kekkai-genkai also armed the skilled ninja clan with fists of iron covered in silk, also known as the Gentle Fist.

The Gentle Fist move proved the Hyuga that though they heavily valued their eyes, seeing was, in fact, not believing. To rely on first impressions, first instincts, would only end up having your chakra systems shut down at the soft prod of velvet fingertips. And those same velvet fingertips curled a dark, choppy strand of hair behind a delicate earlobe in thought.

A child, no older than six, lay in a grand bedroom simply too large for her tiny form. She continued playing with her fingers, staring at the ceiling tiles, counting and recounting. A frown, too aged for a child, was set deeply into her rosy face. She waited.

_Tick tock. Tick tock._

The Hyuga mentally tallied the seconds and marked the seconds which turned to minutes. Five-hundred, twenty-five thousand, five-hundred, fifty-seven minutes…

_Hickory dickory dock._

A year earlier from this particular moment, she had been younger; a darling child, full of innocence and love, who was adorably bashful and picked flowers. She asked questions, unknowing that she was embarrassing her elders for her lack of knowledge. She would cling to her father's tall form, throw tantrums when she didn't get what she wanted, stumble and knock over various china as she struggled to help her mother around the house…

_The mouse went up the clock._

Five-hundred, twenty-five thousand, five-hundred, fifty-eight minutes…

Small fingers curled tightly. _Okaa-san._

It was strange. All those times she had pushed away the vegetables on her plate, had argued about going to bed early, peered over the Lady Hyuga's crouched form as she pulled weeds from the garden, flipped through the many albums of pressed flowers, not once had the young girl ever considered that all of these things, all of the life in the Hyuga, could simply… _disappear_.

Not once had she ever been given notice, that maybe she should try to preserve the fresh scent of herbal ointments, catch it in a jar, because once her mother left, the only smell left in the house would be musty, like an attic visited for the first time in years.

She pondered over this, as her nails dug into the palm of her small hands, hands too soft, too gentle, for the heiress of her prestigious clan. These hands were made for flower picking, not killing, much to the displeasure of the Elders. A disappointment, for being the child she was.

_The clock struck one._

Five-hundred, twenty-five thousand, five-hundred, fifty-nine minutes…

When her mother had left her, she was tossed like a pebble into the sea. Her hopes, dreams, and life had been buried six feet under with the woman's corpse. Hinata hadn't believed it at first, gazing upon the white draped figure and wondering why her mother was still in bed. Why her mother was in a hospital bed, when the one at the compound was so much more comfortable. Not that it was that comfortable anymore, not with the new squirming pink splotch everyone called Hanabi who would cry and scream, resulting in many sleepless nights.

When her father brought this _thing_home, Hinata wondered why he didn't bring her mother as well. She didn't ask though, she never questioned Otou-sama. Questioning him would only hurt her mother, and she could never do that.

And so, she silently obeyed, never wondering why Kaa-san never came back from the hospital. Never pointing out Kaa-san wasn't moving. Never protesting when Kaa-san was being lowered into a hole. A child she may have been, many questions she may have had, but Hinata wasn't stupid. Not even a child was stupid enough to challenge her Otou-sama, even when it came to her mother.

And so, Hinata silently moved on, eyes hardening and nimble heart being slowly swept away into that grave. She cast away her feelings and became the Hyuga her father wanted, for now that she didn't have her inspiration, her hope in life, she had no motive but to turn into his.

Emotionless, the daughter became an heiress, the grand display with cold, glassy eyes in the Hyuga Collection.

_The mouse fell down._

Five-hundred, twenty-five thousand, five-hundred, sixty minutes.

A small rustle was heard outside her window. Hinata turned her head towards the disruption and watched expectantly. Yes, she was aware of the kidnapping about to happen, ever since she heard those strange cloaked men discussing it in an alleyway on her way back from the Academy. No, she hadn't told anybody. Nothing made a difference.

She wasn't wrong; from the shadows of a corner, a figure emerged. He glided over to her bed and blind folded her. Hinata wasn't scared though, simply closing her eyes as darkness consumed her. He then tied up her hands, and she offered no struggle. Then the intruder forced a block of something nasty into her mouth, but she wouldn't have screamed anyway.

He was perplexed. What kind of child was this? Any other hostage would at least have shown some reaction, but she didn't do anything. Not that he minded, this made his job much easier.

Scooping her up easily, he walked to the window, crouching stealthily on its ledge. Only did he pause to scratch the Cloud symbol beside the bed, and then he jumped out, his black cloak billowing behind him.

_Hickory dickory dock._

Happy deathiversary, Okaa-san.

* * *

"Hinata-sama? Hinata-sama?"

The following morning, a Hyuga Branch member would politely allow herself into the heiress's chambers, a tray of breakfast in her hands, for the Hyuga will assume that she had overslept. She would see a bundle of blankets on the bed, assuming that her Lady's tiny form is buried under it, the maid would place down the tray on the bedside table top. Then she would turn to open the shades of the window, wondering why it was open. As she turns back, towards the door, the woman's corner vision would spot the Cloud symbol carved into the wall. Her opalescent eyes would widen, and she would trace her fingers over it, feeling the rough edges, feeling its reality. And then she would turn back to the bed and sink her hands into the covers, and rather than feeling a solid body, it would deflate. Her scream would ring through the compound.

Panic would follow, and search parties would be sent out as far as the Fire Country's borders. Threats of war would be exchanged as Konoha sends accusations to their long-time bitter relation, Kumogakure, the Hidden Cloud Village, claiming for them to have kidnapped their Hyuga heiress.

Outraged, the Cloud would refute, and then they would use this moment of fiasco to their advantage to get the Hyuga secrets for real. However, the village would soon be tricked as the clan head they ask for will send his sealed Branch twin instead, and a child would lose his father that night.

And in the end, the Hyuga Clan will decide that they're going through too much trouble for a weak and disappointing heiress. Surely the child is dead by now, there's no way that the secrets of their clan would be able to be removed from such a pathetic creature. There were bigger things to turn their attention to, for the heiress had a younger sister, a second chance.

Too quickly, Hyuga Hinata would be erased away from the clan, from her family. She would be stripped as an heiress, as a daughter, and a sister of one who will never know that there might just be something missing in her pampered life.

* * *

The Akatsuki were very pleased with the success of the mission. They gazed down at her hungrily, like a child with a new toy. Finally, they had the Byakugan in their grasp.

However, she was unmarked, young, and pure. Why go through the trouble of extracting the eyes when it was easier just to mold her into what they wanted? She would follow them blindly, with the belief that they are her only, and she would obey them with a firmly sheathed loyalty.

Yes, with a bit of work, Hinata would mold into a fine weapon indeed…


	2. Prologue: Part II

_Clash!_

Large blades rendezvoused in a streak of silver. A young girl, no older than seventeen, was forced back, her chest heaving as she flipped back her sweaty, disheveled dark hair. Her pale lavender eyes narrowed as she lunged towards an opening, teeth gritting under peach lips which parted slightly so she wouldn't end up biting her tongue off.

_Thunk!_

Her sword met wood, and she scowled in annoyance. This was taking too long. She sensed her opponent and ran forward, jumping off the wall of the arena and landing behind a burly blue figure in a crouch. Then she swept her leg forward, knocking them off their feet. Before they could even reach the ground, her arm was already wrapped around his neck, the tip of her blade hovering just over the rough flesh flimsily shielding his pressure point.

Clapping.

Two pairs of eyes shifted to see a dark figure emerge from a shadowy corner of the room. His hands were clasped in applause, and lips curved slightly into a smirk were just visible beneath the collar of his cloak. His thin bangs swept over crimson eyes, three inky tomoe slowly rotating.

"Itachi-sensei," Hinata greeted, her tone smooth, despite her strength recovering from the intense spar.

"She's improved!" her opponent praised, bestowing upon the younger a fangy grin. She returned it with a shy nod before returning her attention to Itachi.

Calm eyes observed the young girl. Her battle outfit was not the traditional Akatsuki cloak; instead, she preferred to don a form fitting one piece body suit with various pockets to store weapons and weights in. The weights were getting heavier to the point of her carrying six hundred pounds on each leg. If she were to take them out, her speed could probably rival even his. To signify she was part of the group, she wore a hooded cloak with red clouds imprinted on it. When on a mission, the hood was usually up, shadowing her face. On her back, she was usually seen carrying her sword, similar to Kisame's in bulk. No doubt about it, she was a kunoichi.

If Itachi had been any normal man, he would probably even admit that she had matured from the little girl he had brought her as. Her suit revealed soft cures that she most definitely didn't have when she was six. Her dark bangs framed a pale face, falling on top of her exquisite eyes. Her movements were silence, but graceful, and elegance that she had developed from where she had come from, but harnessed in the organisation.

Yet there was something empty about her, she was picture perfect, yet nothing more. Any emotion or warmth seemed to be void in those icy eyes.

Studying her with a leveled gaze, he cleared his throat, "Now that you have mastered your swordsmanship and taijutsu, it is time to perfect your skills with gengutsu. I already know that you are capable of ninjutsu, mastering every element under the training of Sasori and Deidara, but if you come to an opponent who can make you fall to your knees without touching you, you will be killed instantly. Instead of training under the others, I will take over your training from here on forth."

To say that Hinata was shocked would be an understatement. Itachi never trained anybody unless he was training himself, but could be argued as more of a spar, if nothing less. When she had been put under these sensei at the age of ten, she had expected to train with the other members. Never had she even considered she would be taught by Itachi himself, who was second in rank to Leader-sama. Hinata carefully controlled her widening eyes before bowing again in gratitude, "Hai, Itachi-sama. It will be a great honor."

The three members parted, each going to their separate rooms. Hinata plopped down on her hard bed, nestling her face in its matching gray pillow. She closed her eyes as she began to think about her training.

Hinata was well aware that she was a tool in this corporation. Not that she minded, being raised here since the age of six, she had nowhere else to go. She was probably better off here. Here, she was gaining strength. She was pushed beyond her limits and molded into perfection. Being the center of the whole operation, you might think that Hinata would be raised spoiled. But it was far from that. If she messed up a mission, she would be locked in a cold dark chamber for two weeks without food. If she couldn't learn a technique, it was up to her sensei for her punishment. And knowing her teachers, she would much prefer going without food for the rest of her life. If there had been an inkling of emotion left in her when she had been brought here, it had been pinched and tweezed out over the years.

She felt no mercy when taking the life of an innocent. She felt no pain when her opponent drew blood. She didn't even feel satisfaction when she was covered head to toe with crimson after killing off a whole village.

Because weapons weren't forged to feel, and if she allowed even a tiny crack, the blade would shatter.


	3. Chapter 1

_AGH!!_

Hinata was curled up on the floor at Itachi's feet, clutching her head in pain, eyes clamped shut and shoulders shaking.

All she could see was Itachi, all she could feel was his sword mercilessly plunging into her at an immeasurable speed in an uncountable amount of times.

Again. And again. And _again_.

She couldn't move, tied up against an invisible wall, the world before her was bloody crimson, reflecting her pain. Whispers caressed her ears mockingly, passing through the thin lips of the ghastly white-eyed faces which surrounded her helpless state.

How weak she was, not even able to take a little prick on a sword.

How weak she was, not even able to protect herself from being taken so many years ago.

How weak she was, not even able to muster up to her title and birthright.

How weak she was, not even able to save her own mother.

_Weak._

And worst of all was, she couldn't even retort, couldn't even speak, couldn't even cry out as the damned blade took her throat again and again and again.

Suddenly the world leaked colour, and Hinata's forehead was pressed against the cool tiles of the floor. Six times they had played this game, six times she had failed, each time the lingering pain expanding ten-fold under her skin.

Itachi roughly pulled her up to her feet by the back of her shirt, causing her to stumble. Long, bony fingers caressed her face, lightly running violet nails over her cheekbones. Hinata struggled to control the feeling of bile rising in her throat. She mentally slapped herself at the thought. Feelings were for the weak, she shouldn't have any feelings, she shouldn't even be able to identify the feeling as disgust. With a sudden jerk of her chin, her sensei managed to break her out of her reverie.

"Not even mediocre, your performance is disappointing. You will take this break to meditate. Control your emotions and dispose of them. You must become numb. Pain is a feeling, and all feelings are for…"

Hinata already knew the answer, _the weak_. Since birth, that's what her life has revolved around. Weakness. How to harness it, demolish it, and take advantage of it.

"Hinata."

She glanced up, only to see his back, leaving. "You have one hour to get prepared for the next session. Use that time wisely."

Hinata finally relaxed now that she was alone. She heard that Itachi was tough, but this... No, no complaining. Complaints were for the weak who couldn't handle a bit of labor. She needed to figure out a way to avoid the genjutsu, let alone defeat it. Sitting here feeling sorry for herself wasn't going to do anything.

But then the key question still hung, how?

The young girl sat pretzel style on the floor, closing her eyes, long lashes curling over her cheeks. Most people hate being alone, with nothing to do, no one to do it with.

However, Hinata cherished it. In her own company was where she could drop the mask. Drop the emotionless façade she had to carry on everywhere. When she was alone, she could be weak. She could be anything she wanted. And best of all, she could think.

In character, she wasn't permitted to speak her mind, let alone have a mind. She was here to follow orders, not question them. A doll on the outside, controlled by whoever picked her up, but on the inside, a wisp of genuine humanity remained, folded and squashed unnoticeably among the influences and ideas of the Akatsuki's wing which she had grown under. It was the remainder of her mother in the world.

_Itachi's genjutsu focuses on weakness. _

_If I have no weakness, I can feel no pain. If I feel no pain, then the genjutsu would be a useless attack. I have to be able to focus my mind and block out the absurd mumblings of the Hyuga Clan members. But then only the distraction is gone, how am I supposed to disarm him?_

Hinata thought back to the jutsu. She was stabbed over and over again. Suddenly, she opened her eyes to look down at her legs, where straps kept weights in place on her thighs.

Weights…

To get used to each new weight, she would run. She would run at an even pace until she got used to it to the point where she could resume once again at normal speed.

_If I can keep a rhythmic pace with the blade jabbing into me, I'll be able to _anticipate_ every new ounce of pain. This would numb my body to the point where his blade's only piercing me with what appears like the smallest prick._

Before she knew it, the hour was up, and student and sensei were back in the field.

She already knew that she could easily avoid the genjutsu by predicting movements by his feet, but in the midst of real battle she could accidently look up and meet the Sharingan eyes. It was better to fight the jutsu head on, as it would waste less time. As soon as Hinata locked gazes with Itachi, she was once again consumed into a crimson moon.

Itachi unsheathed the ever friendly blade, and the mumblings of the Hyuga Clan began.

_Weak._

Hinata closed her eyes. Calm, she must remain calm.

_Weak._

She concentrated on nothing and everything. Focus, focus.

_Wea- _Nothing. She couldn't hear anything. Perfect.

Suddenly, cold steel plunged into her chest, and she tried her best not to gasp out in pain. The blade plunged again and again. All she could see were stars, her veins like fire, lava-red puddling at her feet. Pain, _so much pain_.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she bit her lip, regaining herself as she mentally began to count.

One, two, _plunge_, one, two, _plunge_, one, two…

As the cadence formed, she began to go numb. The blade was barely a brush against her skin now, and it was soon fading all together. Her body relaxed, and her eyes glassed into the familiar window of passivity. Her composure loosened and shoulders fell, as if she were merely leaning against the wall, rather than being pinned to it.

Suddenly, crimson bled white, grey, beige, black, red... Her gaze locked with her sensei's; they were back.

Itachi nodded, this time in approval. "It took you some time, but you finally managed to figure out how to defeat genjutsu, and not only just genjutsu, but one of the most powerful; the Tsukiyomi. Now that you have mastered genjutsu, taijustsu, and ninjutsu, you are ready to take on your final mission to become commissioned as an official member of the Akatsuki."

Hinata looked down at the ring on Itachi's hand.

An official member…

… or an official weapon.

Either way, it didn't matter. Her strength finally had a chance to be proven, with this '_mission_'.

Absentmindedly, she heard Itachi say something about meeting Leader-sama, and she trailed him out of the room.

* * *

Hinata stood in front of the shadowed figure of Leader-sama. For ten minutes she had stayed in the same position, unfazed. She refused to be the first to reveal impatience. It was rare to see anybody last this long under Leader's gaze without even squirming.

Finally, the Leader let out a long sigh, and Hinata's only reaction was a tiny narrow of the eyes.

He clasped his hands in front of him, leaning forward to rest his chin on them. Leader-sama was pleased, to say the least. It was nearly unbelievable the frail girl kidnapped about eleven years ago had developed into the one standing before him now.

Yes, Hinata was a budding genius. Her mission status was unblemished, each one ending in a success. She was lithe and swift, excellent as a spy as well as a master of taijutsu and swordsmanship, making her a well-rounded assassin. She was the ultimate weapon, merciless and unfeeling. And now it was time to put her to the test before the Akatsuki could climb the step to power with her leading them.

"Your test will last a year long. You are to go undercover as a resident of Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. There you will rise in ranks and come closest to Hokage status as possible. Your mission is to gather information: I want to know the weak points of the village, the strong points, and everything in between. I'd also like a profile of their special nin and ANBU. I want the ultimate blueprint, so that when we launch out attack in a year, there will be no obstacles standing in our way to victory. The Akatsuki's future rests in your hands."

Hinata understood the importance of this. Even if this was a test, it was also so much more. It challenged her loyalty, skill, leadership, strength, and patience. She would have return to her birth place and live among the people who chided her in nightmares.

The most difficult part would be the bonds. She would have to distance herself from everybody to make sure they do not uncover her identity and yet keep close enough to gain trust and ensure her position in the village.

"Your cape will be switched with a new one, as you cannot walk around the village as an Akatsuki. You'll have to be careful with what information you give out. You have one week to prepare, and you will be provided with money, supplies, and a fake profile. Any questions?" Not even giving her a chance, he swiveled in his chair and waved his hand in dismissal.

Hinata bowed one last time and backed out of the door. Itachi stood by the wall, bidding her luck with a blink of his red, red eyes.

This mission would determine everything, as a weapon determines if you live or die.


	4. Chapter 2

_**Name:**__ Hinata of Ikustaka_

_**Origin:**__ Land of the Mist_

_**Previous Ranking:**__ Special Jounin_

_**Transfer:**__ Konoha, Hidden Village of the Leaves_

_**Age:**__ Seventeen_

_**Sex:**__ Female_

_**Approved by the **__Misukage of the Mist_

_**Approved by the **__Lord of the Fire Country_

Hinata tucked the scroll into a hidden pocket of her new suit.

It was a shade of navy, almost black. The cloak was sleeveless, leaving her bandaged arms visible. Fingerless gloves were added to the ensemble with long cuffs up to her elbows. On her back, she carried her normal sword, but she also had added a small knapsack with enough supplies to last her the trip to Konoha.

Once there, she could use the large salary provided by the ever-so generous Kakuza, (meaning he had to be threatened his position in the Akatsuki to get him to empty his pockets), and get a flat to stay in the remainder of the year.

Hinata couldn't help but find her profile amusing. _Ikustaka, _Akatsuki spelled backwards. Of course the organisation would never release claim on their weapon.

She also knew that the seals of the Kage and Lord were only there because of their rising influence. Akatsuki was steadily brewing power, enough to eventually raise the stairway up from their underground.

It was the end of the week, and it was time to leave. Hinata was suited up and was ready as she could ever be. As a weapon is whetted in preparation for battle.

She walked out of her cold room for what could be the last time with no remorse. There was nothing to worry about. The task was simple enough. No bonds, no friends. Just connections and reports.

Even if it turned out to be slightly on the difficult side, Hinata would do anything to prove herself as a tool- no, member of the Akatsuki. She had nothing else to live for.

The young girl glided down the hallways she had grew up in for most of her life. Longer than her life in the god-forsaken village. If Hinata knew how to, she would sneer.

Suddenly, she broke out of her thoughts from the realisation of falling with a thud. She rubbed her head as she pushed herself back up, ready to flame throw a glare at the hard chested person who dared to stand in her way. Her candle was put out as her eyes met a crimson pair.

"Itachi-sensei."

Hinata deeply bowed, knowing how she was all-too close to getting killed if she had let her anger get the best of her. However, her fluke in mannerisms was forgiven as slender fingers wrapped themselves underneath her chin, raising her head so she was eye level with the Mangekyou Sharingan. Hinata never wavered her gaze from his, and suddenly, her mind became her eyes, noticing things she never took care to notice before, such as his dark bangs falling softly into his face, the slight partition in his collar revealing the fishnet shirt, doing nothing to hide his white, white collarbone, and-

"Oh, am I interrupting something?" Kisame cheekily interrupted their staring match. Two pairs of stony eyes turned to him, and the shark gave a little gulp.

"Um, yeah…"

"…"

"…"

"So- Sorry about that"

"…"

"…"

Kisame mentally groaned with annoyance. These two were more alike than anyone else in the organisation. It was hard to believe that Itachi was the member who spent the _least _time training her. But then again…

"It is a great honour to have Kisame-sensei see me off, and I wish to spar with Kisame-sensei again when I return," Hinata bowed deeply, warming a bit when a blue hand reached over to ruffle her hair.

She'll miss them.

* * *

"OY SASUKE-TEME!! HOKAGE-SAMA SUMMONS YOU TO THE TOWER."

An ivory nineteen-year-old fist stopped midway in his punch to the already dented tree, and glared at the small frog with an unnaturally big voice.

Uchiha Sasuke had awoken up at dawn, ready for a full day of training. Ever since he had returned to the village four years ago, every waking moment had been focused on getting stronger to kill the man who had ruined his life.

Uchiha Itachi.

Also known as, his _beloved_ aniki, older brother.

After betraying the village to join the legendary sannin, Oorochimaru, in pursuit of power, Sasuke was bitten by his teacher, and as a result the curse seal was imprinted on the nape of his neck. His raven hair had grown long enough to cover it, but everyone in the village knew it was there.

When his sensei had tried to take over his body, Sasuke was saved by his annoying, determined friends, and he had returned to the village to train. He was only here temporarily, until he can defeat his brother. It was an obsession for the avenger. Power was all he wanted, all he needed; his ultimate purpose in life.

Straightening up, Sasuke dismissed the frog messenger and headed towards the Hokage Tower. There, he didn't bother knocking on the door to the office, but he did offer a nod to the bored guards. It was returned with a tired smile.

After four years, Sasuke was finally accepted back as a villager. Many had quarreled against him, believing that it was unfair that he should be allowed to live. Mumblings and whispers became his shadow, and traitor was added to his grand Uchiha title.

Most of the acceptance of the villagers was nudged by the fact of his close relationship with Hokage. If the rivalry/best friend/brother could count as anything but close. Sasuke broke out of his thoughts at the loud booming sound of the Hokage.

"Oy, teme, are you even listening to me?" Naruto's voice was irritated, but his sparkling blue eyes betrayed his happiness of Sasuke's arrival.

"The entire village heard you, dobe." Sasuke icily replied with a smirk.

Uzumaki Naruto was known from childhood as Konoha's number one hyper active knucklehead. It was one thing that had never changed over the years.

"Since Sasuke-teme is turning a little crusty on the ears," Sasuke raised an eyebrow; this coming from the one who causes _himself_ to go deaf? "You'll be put on sentry duty to make sure your eyes don't do the same."

The Uchiha refused to groan and give any satisfaction to the Hokage. Despite being an ANBU, the missions couldn't be more dull. He sighed and went back home to change into his uniform, expecting boredom for the rest of the day and entire night.

How wrong Sasuke could be… for power is obtained through a weapon. To bring down all those around to rise up.


	5. Chapter 3

A blur swept through the shaded tree tops below a misty night sky. The wind whistled softly, overlaying the short breaths of the girl who tried to outrun it and was succeeding.

Hinata had lowered the amount of her weights to increase her speed. She wanted to get to Konoha before dawn.

All was quiet, her footsteps so light, it was as if she wasn't even touching the branches. Her arms were glued to her sides as she ran at a steady pace, never slowing. Her cloak billowed behind her, amazingly avoiding every twig that tried to snag on to it. Even if her hood had stayed up, wisps of tiny hair flying around her face, and her cheeks and nose were rosy from the dropping temperature.

Hinata enjoyed this time of night, where every creature in the world seemed to have faded away, and it was just her, free to spread her wings and fly away from the confines of her superiors. As if running away from her duties, her façade, her life. It was soothing to run, not away, not in, but _with_ the darkness without being consumed by it. To spend a few moments breathing air for the simple joy of breathing it. To look at the night sky for its beauty and not scouting.

A rush of wind flew into Hinata, causing her to shiver with delight. How it felt good to be able to _feel_.

Hinata continued running as she thought about her encounter with Itachi. The whole event was still clearly stamped into her mind.

It was a curious sensation, her observations were... different? Forgeign? Extraterrestrial? Why was she suddenly taking notice of the features of another man, let alone her sensei? It had never happened before. Why did it make her face feel as if on fire? Why did her heart rate increase?

Maybe it was some kind of new training system by the Akatsuki. They always threw the most random challenges at her to ensure that she was in tip top shape. To make sure that their weapon was polished till it gleamed. The very shine before being coated in blood.

Or perhaps those thoughts could have been a side effect to Itachi's jutsu. Since it was cast by Itachi, no wonder that she was specifically feeling these strange sensations around him.

Another weakness. She'll have to work on the counter for this side effect at a later time.

Hinata's vision was keen, but not because of the Byukugan.

In fact, for the eleven years she was part of the criminal organisation, not once did she activate the bloodline limit. She was not a Hyuga, and she never will be a Hyuga. She refused to use the Byukugan and accept her kin.

She was Hinata. Just Hinata.

Instead of using the Byukugan, Hinata perfected her senses out of training. Sure, she couldn't see around herself three-hundred-sixty degrees, but from her scent trained nose, delicate ears, and keen eyes… she came pretty darn close.

With her trained eye, Hinata spotted the tiny glint of metal in the distance of Konoha's gates. The sky was turning a morning puppy blew, and the kunoichi increased her speed. She was almost there.

* * *

Sasuke sat on the city walls in a crouched position with his hands resting on his knees. His onyx eyes were hidden under heavy lids. Every other minute, a breeze would go by and brush his long bangs back. If it weren't for the slight rise and fall of his muscular chest, the young shinobi could have been mistaken as a statue.

_Thud._

Sasuke's eyes shot open as his ears picked up an intruder.

The trees were menacingly tall, casting zigzags of long, dark shadows. Gracefully, Sasuke leaped down the wall, smoothly landing on his feet, his pale hand resting on the hilt of his katana.

Everything was silent, an eerie quiet, as if the world had been put on mute.

Sasuke stayed still for a few moments, holding his breath. Finally, when he thought that he might have imagined it, a dark figure glided out of the shadows.

The figure was clad in a dark cloak, the hood shadowing their eyes. Their mouth was set in a thin line and icy cheeks were frosted with pink. Upper arms were covered with bandages and the lower arms were covered with a pair of fingerless gloves. Under the cloak, they wore a form fitting suit that ended above the knees, revealing them as a girl. She was tall, but Sasuke had a good foot over her. Her long legs were pale and bandaged up to the shins.

She was pale enough to evoke a glow around her figure underneath the moonlight. Two long strands of dark hair were seen in the part of her face which could be seen. As she slowly moved further out of the shadows, Sasuke could see the extremely large sword on her back. Its blade was jagged yet sharp, gleaming with the reflection of the dark trees above them. On the hilt, her small hand rested, ready to grasp and attack if the need called for. As she glowed, Sasuke couldn't help but feel the menacing aura that enveloped her in an arcane finish.

"Who goes there?" Sasuke couldn't help but grimace at his own terribly cliche ice breaker as he made the first move on the board.

A sudden breeze picked up, and a voice softly whispered in his ear,

"It's rude to ask somebody's name before introducing yourself."

The two blades crashed against each other in a blur of metal.

Both weapons had met their match.


	6. Chapter 4

Hinata was amused, but of course she didn't show it. What a way for Konoha to greet her.

However, she didn't, she was itching to try her skills at an opponent who she would actually have to hold back on.

Yes, unfortunately, she could not actually kill the poor guard. It'd leave a bad impression on her first day as a villager. But, nobody said she couldn't shake him up a bit.

His katana swung to her knees, and Hinata flipped backwards to dodge. She returned the attack with a jab to his right shoulder, forcing him to snap his wrist up to meet his blade with hers.

_Too slow_.

She turned her sword and let the blade nip his shoulder, watching with amusement as a trickle of bright red began to stream over the ripped cloth.

Lost in her observations, Hinata absentmindedly blocked the incoming jab to her stomach. She thrust the tip of her sword between the space created from his hand on the katana and his stomach, and she turned her handle it upwards so that the opponent's weapon went clattering to the dirt mound floor.

* * *

Sasuke was frustrated. Never had he met anybody who could handle a blade as well as himself, let alone _better_.

And here comes this _girl_ in the late night and matches him one-to-one. She was even _playing_ with him.

Sasuke blocked her sword with the back of his arm, grimacing as more blood was drawn; that was the second hit she got past him. He dove and grasped the katana by the tips of his fingers.

Rolling over on his back, he blocked the incoming jab. Then, he swept the newly regained katana under her feet, causing her to trip. Perfectly timing it, Sasuke used all his weight to pin her to the ground and rest the tip of his blade at her neck.

_Poof._

Sasuke toppled to the ground from the force of gravity and felt his arms being wrenched behind him, and a heavy weight on his back caused him to lean forward into a sitting position. Sasuke was frustrated. All this time he was facing a simple _clone_.

A small cough was heard, and Sasuke was pulled back to his feet. The hooded girl unfurled a small scroll and held it in his face.

* * *

Hinata had watched him fight from a nearby tree top. Even though he wasn't as good as herself, the boy still had potential. Potential for a common shinobi, anyway.

He had dark hair with bangs that fell in his face. He looked young, about her own age, maybe a little older. From his uniform, she could tell that he was highly ranked.

Perfect. Just the person she needed to get to the Hokage.

As she was about to leap down from the tree, she couldn't help but wonder why the boy looked so familiar. Those features were eerily similar to Itachi-sensei's. Just the name of her sensei rushed the _weak_ heat back to her face. As fast as it had rushed up, she willed it to disappear.

Once more regaining her stoicism, Hinata released the clone and went to meet the boy, deciding that he would be able to read the scroll properly now that it was dawn. The fight had just been to pass time, anyway.

* * *

Sasuke peered at the scroll cautiously; it seemed that the girl was a new transfer from the Mist.

Grudgingly, he realised that he would have to escort her to see Naruto. And knowing his blonde haired friend, it would take a lot of trouble to wake him up.

Oh well.

It was the girl's own fault for coming at this time. She would have to endure the long and painstaking process of the Hokage's wake-up call.

Sasuke began leading her to the gates. As he opened them, he couldn't resist the urge to glance back. There was something strange about her. She was strong, strong enough to be a threat. He'd have to keep an eye on her.

For a weapon must be watched at all times. As soon as you let down your guard, it will stab you in the back.


	7. Chapter 5

"Dobe-sama."

The Hokage awoke with a start, seeing a pale, menacing face hovering over him. The sight of a pissed off Uchiha definitely wasn't the first thing he wanted to see in the morning.

"You know, teme, usually I like to see pretty girls when I wake up. You're definitely not one of them…"

Naruto gave a huge yawn, disappointed from being awoken out of his dreams. _It was really good ramen, too._ He stretched, and as a result, the eighteen year old boy fell out of his bed with a thump.

"OUUUUCH!"

"With all due respect, your Hokage is strange." An unfamiliar voice trickled into the room, amazingly overpowering the blonde's whines, despite its softness.

Naruto looked up at a corner to see the source of the insult, and blue eyes widened in horror.

"AHHH! IT'S SHINO USING SEXY-NO-JUTSU!!"

Sasuke couldn't help but smack his own forehead. Sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder how the knucklehead ever managed to become Hokage.

* * *

Hinata still wore an amused expression as she sat in front of the Hokage's desk, hands folded neatly in her lap. The sentry from earlier stood at the door, his eyes betraying his irritation.

Not that Hinata blamed him. It had taken approximately three hours, twenty-three minutes, and fourteen and a half seconds to get the supposedly renowned village leader awake. He must have been famous for his battles, where he must have been knocked in the head quite a few times to be _this_ stupid.

If this blond leader ever came to the Akatsuki and was ever _this_ oblivious to his surroundings, he'd get crushed before he could get a peep out of that huge mouth of his that she had yet to see, or hear, Kami-sama, close.

If he was a representation of Konoha, then her mission might have just gotten a whole lot easier.

After observations were exchanged, and it was proven that she was not this mysterious Shino person using a perverted jutsu, they began making official arrangements of her transfer.

"I see that you were a Special Jounin in the Mist. Well, now that you're in Konoha, your position is reverted until you take the exams that will raise your ranks." Naruto said as professionally as he could, trying to regain him dignity in front of the stranger.

"That is perfectly fine. I will take any and all tests Hokage-sama has put forth for me. I look forward to serving Hokage-sama and the village." Hinata bowed her head, never missing a beat.

Naruto grinned, pleased by this unusual show of respect. It was a great ego booster.

"I'm sure that you're an extremely skilled warrior after seeing Sasuke here all beat up, but for today, no tests. I'll let you settle down in our village first. I have already found the deed to a small apartment near the training grounds and hope that everything will be comfortable for you. You can also use this day to meet the other shinobi. You never know if they'll end up as your next opponents or even your best friend."

"Hokage-sama's generosity is greatly appreciated. With all due respect, I would like to take these tests as soon as possible." Hinata needed to set a good impression on the high ranks; she wasn't known to waste any time on the missions of the Akatsuki.

However, Naruto simply waved her off, insisting that she should rest up first, but she was sure that he was just saying that so he could go back to sleep. The fact that he still had that absurd sleeping cap on was proof enough.

Bowing after the dismissal, she turned to see the guard from earlier. Sasuke was his name, apparently. Anyway, this Sasuke stood moodily by the doorway, not too pleased that he was assigned as her escort around the village.

* * *

Sasuke watched grumpily as the two politically flirted with each other. It was disgusting.

He only actually started paying attention when Naruto told him he had to escort this so called "Hinata" around the village.

Wonderful. As if his loss wasn't bad enough.

Sasuke led her from the Tower swiftly, for the streets were empty as everyone normal was asleep.

They arrived at the apartment complex, ironically it was the same one he stayed at, but of course, he wouldn't tell her that. Anyways, it would make it easier to keep an eye on the suspicious transfer.

He led her to the assigned room, a floor above his own. He took her offered key, opened it, and stepped inside.

* * *

It was large, but plain. Everything Hinata was used to when growing up with the criminal organization. She left the sentry standing at the doorway as she headed straight for the bedroom.

As she passed the kitchen and living room, she noticed that everything was already furnished. That was good, she wasn't used to shopping for furniture as everything at the Akatsuki was bought by trusted servents. Hinata was kept inside to keep her focused on training.

Hinata dropped her bag on the bed heavily, noticing that it was softer than the one in her old room back in Headquarters. Deciding that she would unpack later, she retraced her steps back to Sasuke, and they left together immediatly.

* * *

Hinata decided that she would first go to the training guards, as it was too early to go shopping for food. The shops hadn't even opened yet.

She and Sasuke both headed for opposite sides of the field, not in the mood to spar again. At least, that was what she thought he felt. He must be nursing his pride from his last defeat. Hinata's emotionless face was too well trained to crack the smirk itching at her lips.

An hour passed as she tossed kunais at the targets, each hitting the mark perfectly. She sighed, missing her training sessions at the Akatsuki. From what she faced with the guard, this village must be made up of weaklings, compared to herself, anyway.

_I guess I'll have to hide my true strength, as not too draw too much attention. _

No matter, Hinata always liked a challenge. And in this village her challenge would be what it had always been, only on a whole new level: Keeping her façade up.

* * *

The morning sun shined brightly above them, the sky a cheerful blue as it welcomed the villagers out of their dreams. The streets were buzzing as shopkeepers opened their stores, and civillians groggily stumbled out of their homes, clutching thermoses of tea and coffee alike to prepare them for another work day.

Hinata watched the village come to life with interest.

The Akatsuki had secluded her from people other than herself ever since they had taken her. She only went to villages for assassination missions, and on those it was dark, and the civillians were usually screaming.

Beside her walked Sasuke, his face relaxed, and his eyes slightly hooded from fatigue. Hinata couldn't help but pity him, for he had stayed up all night on guard duty, and now he had to escort her around the village. The caped girl then shook her head slightly, reminding herself it was a weakness to sympathize.

"OH THE MORNING BRINGS THE BEGINNING OF A NEW YOUTHFUL DAY!"

The both turned, to land their eyes upon the strangest pair she had ever seen. It was good that her expression was hidden, for she couldn't keep the astonishment from widening her eyes.

The pair had on jumpsuits, just like herself, only they were… uglier. Thank Kami-sama, the Akatsuki had people with at least some sense of fashion. Also, they both had thick eyebrows that looked like a pair of caterpillars had crawled onto their faces, and their haircut was bowl shaped and painfully shining.

Alright, one painfully hideous man was enough. But there just had to be _two_…

"SASUKE-SAN! IT IS QUITE AN HONOUR TO SEE A FELLOW YOUTHFUL SHINOBI BRIGHT AND EARLY THIS MORNING!"

"Hello, Lee-san, Gai-sensei."

Hinata raised a delicate eyebrow for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. This guard… was their acquaintance?

She let out a small cough, to let the three know that she was still there.

"OH, AND WHO IS THIS UNFAMILIAR BLOSSOM?"

"This is a transfer from the Mist-"

Cutting Sasuke off, she replied, "Ikustaka Hinata" Her voice was small compared to the boisterous green couple.

Lee was excited to make a new friend. He looked toward his sensei for approval, and grinned when Gai gave him a nod.

"HINATA-SAN IT WOULD BE AN HONOUR IF YOU WOULD JOIN US IN OUR MORNING LAPS AROUND THE VILLAGE!"

Hinata was inwardly eager, this was a perfect opportunity to start gathering information. "I would love to,…?"

Suddenly the unfashionable green pair struck a pose and started booming, "ROCK LEE AND GAI-SENSEI AT YOUR SERVICE, THE GREEN BEASTS OF KONOHA."

If Hinata was any normal person, she would have shrunk back in horror.

* * *

Sasuke decided to serve as referee, knowing from past experiences how comical training with Lee and Gai could be. Besides, he would rather watch the new ninja. She had good swordsmanship, but how was her speed?

In a bored tone, he began the race. "Ready, one… two…" Before he could say 'three', the racers were off.

Hinata had to admit, this pair was impressive, but she knew she was faster. She stayed in pace with them tirelessly, her feet seeming to fly off the ground as her cloak billowed behind her, and strands of hair flew wildly into her eyes, kissing her lips.

She couldn't help but notice that the pair, as insane as they were, had excellent stamina. Looks could most definitely be deceiving.

Lavendar eyes narrowed.

Suddenly getting bored of the neck-in-neck pace, Hinata raised her speed a notch, leaving their dropped jaws to cough up the clouds of dust.

When Lee and Gai finally caught up, they found their opponent leaning on a tree coolly, her arms crossed against her chest. She didn't seem the least bit out of breath.

Sasuke watched as his friends excitedly showered praises over her, not the least bit upset over their loss.

He too was shocked to see how fast she was. Lee and Gai were known as the fastest shinobi in the village. Normal ninja weren't trained as this… well, he couldn't go around making assumptions. He had to find out more about her.

Hinata straightened up and headed back into the village, tired of hearing the losers' nonsense after the race. Sasuke followed behind her with an impassive expression, hiding his thoughts.

Unlike the ones she met so far, he didn't show much emotion, like her. Who was he…?

Hinata's arrival in this village had sprung into an interesting start. She was itching to meet the other weakling- uhm, ninja. The Akatsuki would definitely be pleased by the time this mission was over.

A weapon must be swift, cutting the air as if it was solid.


	8. Chapter 6

It was near midday now. Hinata, with Sasuke trailing behind her, had went out and bought a few essentials, if only to make an appearance. She probably wouldn't touch the food, preferring to survive off of liquids and soldier pills. The foreign meals risked giving her a sick stomach; a setback she couldn't afford to risk.

The shops had been interesting to browse, and her guide had also demonstrated how to haggle with the stall handlers. She wondered why they even kept the prices so high when they knew the customer was going to lower it like that…

And even with the many lovely items Hinata gazed upon for the first time in her rather less than extensive memory, she limited herself to staying on budget, even less for that morning. It would look suspicious if she bought too much without even a shinobi standard salary.

They were now at the park, both of them leaning parallel to each other on trees. Hinata's hood didn't mask her frown of boredom. Why did that insane Hokage have to give her a day off instead of letting her take the exams…

_Boom!_

Hinata instinctively lowered herself in a defensive stance as a large blur of white landed a few feet before her. When the 'blur' finally stopped moving, she could make out the shape of a very large… canine?

He was the length of a bench with narrowed beady, black eyes. His enormous jaw hung open in a growl, revealing sharp fangs the size of her fist, and a long, slobbery pink tongue. On top of the dog sat a shaggy haired brunette around her own age with red triangle markings on his tan cheeks.

_Inuzaka. _

In preparation for her mission, she had studied the important clans of the village, as it was foolish to just dive in head first without knowing just who she was up against. _Know your enemies like your best friends._

From what she could recall about the Inuzakas gathered from scrolls, it was a clan made up of tag teamed shinobi and canines. In battle, with the upper hand of two against one, they were a force to be reckoned with.

Yet with her impression of the clan first-hand, she was more than disappointed. The boy was obviously incompetent, with his loud boasting voice and charging personality. It was like tiny Konoha made up its smaller size with loudness.

At this thought, she sighed in exhasperation. She would only have to last this decibel exceeding ear ache for one year… _only one year…_

Hinata broke out of her thoughts when the Inuzaka brought his attention to her presence.

"HEY, you! Who are you to actually have the Ice Cube stand a girl?!"

Hinata inwardly smirked.

_Ice cube?_

She just shook her head, mentally storing the nickname into a blackmail file of her mind.

Steadily, the cloaked girl replied, "Hinata Ikustaka, of the Mist. Pleasure to meet you, Inuzaka-san."

The boy was surprised, but only revealed it with the slightest narrowing of his eyes. Despite suspicion, he returned the greeting heartily, "Hullo, Hinata-san! You can just call me Kiba, no need for formality."

In the spur of a second, Hinata felt dampness on her palm, and she instinctively drew a kunai. The large dog just whimpered as the knife flew over his head and imbedded itself into the bench behind him, a few strands of fur floating.

Kiba was impressed, gently scratching his best friend's furry, white matted scalp, in an attempt to calm him down. "Ah, gomen, I should have introduced you to him as well, sorry for startling you. This is Akamaru."

Hinata nodded in greeting before turning her head towards the shaded trees a few feet away.

"Whoever you are, your chakra cannot be masked from me. Come out, being with a thousand infused chakra."

A tall figure stepped out of the shadows silently, the sunlight illuminating his features. He wore a large coat with a wide collar, hiding the lower part of his face. It reminded her a bit of the Akatsuki uniform. His eyes were hidden behind round rimmed sunglasses, and his hair was helmeted under a heavy, fur-lined hood. His hands were tucked deeply into his pockets, and a small black bug could be seen scurrying along the length of his white jacket's arm.

Before they knew it, Hinata was circling the shinobi like a predator.

"Traditional round shades, collared jacket, cropped hair," she quickly grasped his arm, "and a dark bug. You must be an Aburame."

The identified Aburame raised a slanted eyebrow behind his glasses. "And how might you know of my clan, stranger, for our secrets are even protected outside the village." His voice was deep and scratchy, so soft that anybody without Hinata's keen ears would have to strain to hear it.

Hinata readily answered, "I recognise your clan from a scroll in the Stone when I once passed through the village on a mission."

Suddenly a huge, black curtain of bugs surrounded her. Hinata, prepared, created a chakra infused shield and spread it outward, forcing the bugs to feed on it away from her. Her eyes swept the length of the buzzing, shivering shield, before she carefully reached in and plucked a bug out and squeezed.

Slowly the bugs diffused back into his body as he flinched, and it was only then did Hinata let go, when the last insect had crawled back to its master. Her attacker gave a deep nod of newfound respect and curiosity.

"You do not lie, you're powerful enough to gain a mission through the Stone, and so you have recognised the correct clan. Forgive me."

Hinata nodded back, accepting his apology.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kiba and Sasuke stood in silence, watching the battle unfold and refold. Kiba gasped in wonder out loud, unaware that the Uchiha was listening.

"How could this outsider have known about Shino's weak bug? Nobody knows about it, not even his clan. Shino does have that suspicious look on him though, I don't think he trusts her. Neither do I."

Sasuke absorbed the information like a sponge. It seems that he wasn't the only one who was going to be keeping an eye on Hinata.

* * *

Under the safety of her hood, Hinata rolled her eyes as the party moved on.

Kiba, and as she later learned, Shino, had decided to tag along with her and Sasuke. What were they, a travelling circus?

They were now heading to the hospital, Shino needed to get his bugs checked out after that last attack. It wasn't a big deal, but he had a mission coming up, and he needed to be in perfect condition.

As they climbed the stairs, Hinata observed the tall, white building they called the hospital. Apparently, many shinobi injured in battle came here to be healed. There were never 'medic-nins' in the Akatsuki; it was either learn healing jutsu yourself, go to someone who had a few up their sleeve, or raid the supplies for a bandage, and leave your fate up to Kami. Or, the best solution, just don't get hurt in the first place. Only the weaker would get injured.

At the receptionist counter, Hinata's ears picked up the sounds of the devilish imps playing in the flames of hell… oh wait, they were just the squeals of girls.

"_SASUKE-KUUUUN!!_"

A pair of pink and bleached hair figures cling desperately to her escort, and hearts were flying out of their eyes.

_They must be Sasuke's… _What were they called again? …_suitors. Interesting_

She absentmindedly scratched Akamaru's ear, who had become fond of the new girl despite her 'violent' introduction. Suddenly, when it finally seemed like the sirens were going to calm down…

"WHO IS SHE, SASUKE-KUUUN?"

"IS SHE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE ANNOYING _FANGIRLS_?"

_Pfft, the only fangirls I see are…_

Hinata coughed slightly, immediately silencing them. Her menacing aura could probably even cause death, if you caught her in the correct bad mood. It was quite handy, really.

"Not to be rude, but I hardly share your infatuation with Sasuke-san, in fact, not at all. If I could have it, I would be with anyone else right now, but unfortunately, it's your Hokage's orders. Now, if you would please excuse us, we have to be getting along now."

Silence.

"…yeah, Naruto is pretty annoying like that." Sakura chiped.

The two silenced girls looked at each other and nodded. "We'll get that baka later, yosh!"

Somewhere in the Hokage Tower, Naruto sneezed, and his sleeping cap fell off his head. He wiped his nose with his sleeve and fell back right to sleep.

**_Words are sharp and subtle, being able to cut through any air like a knife._**


	9. Chapter 7

They all cooled down, at least, as cool as a paper fan would provide on a blistering summer day.

(So in actuality, the situation didn't cool down at all, perhaps they even got a bit worse. However, they were on speaking terms now, and that was all that mattered.)

Hinata was introduced to the sire- er, medics, Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino.

Yamanaka, she recalled, came from a clan of mind-jutsu users. However, the girl herself managed a flower shop with her parents where she learned about healing herbs and volunteered at the hospital in her spare time.

Haruno, however, she had heard nothing about. Apparently, she was from a civilian family, but never the less, she was strong. Her chakra control was excellent, and she possessed super strength. Plus, she had trained under their previous Hokage, who taught her how to become a medic nin.

Hinata herself had no interest to work in healing people. Of course, she mastered a few basic healing jutsus for the road, but that was as far as she went, and it was only because she was a ninja was it necessary.

Hinata's attention drifted off, recalling the faint outlines of her childhood memories. The short childhood that had not yet been tainted by the Akatsuki.

_Fair skin, long dark hair, and a warm smile._

_A toddler clutching a floral kimono._

_A cry, a sting of pain._

_Smiles._

_A jar with a scented cream._

_Kisses._

Hinata shook herself out of it.

_No_.

She couldn't stand to remember Kaa-san now. Not after all her training.

No.

She couldn't remember the fact that her mother left her. Left her alone, vulnerable. Free to be manipulated. To wipe off the blood from her hands by herself when it was a mother's job to keep their children clean…

"Hinata-san, are you alright?"

The high pitched siren of Sakura's voice brought her back.

They were on good terms now. It was amazing how a few compliments on the _lovely_ shade of hair, or the _honour_ it was to meet a genjutsu master could break the ice between people.

As yet another argument over 'who's the best medic nin?' flared between the two girls who were supposedly _best friends_, Hinata silently walked towards the exit of the hospital.

She couldn't take any more of this place. It brought… too many… memo-

_You are a ninja, tool to the world. Weapon of the Akatsuki. No feelings, no emotions, numbness is all you feel, all you are._

* * *

Sasuke was standing aloof in a corner, glad that the annoying leeches had finally let him out of their grasp, turning their attention to the new transfer.

Hinata was strange.

She was quiet yet could make herself heard. She was strong, he knew that firsthand, yet she seemed to hide her potential. What was she up to? And what made him think of her so much?

Sasuke unconsciously began trailing after the object of his thoughts. He was only brought back to earth by bumping and tripping, rather ungracefully.

_Thump!_

* * *

Hinata had more grace, on the other hand, and she spun lightly on her heel and caught herself from tripping. The one who had bumped into her in the first place, however, had not been as lucky.

Her small hands caught Sasuke before he could fall forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She was tiny compared to him, but she had enough strength to hold him up.

Once she was sure he could get back on his feet, Hinata roughly pushed him back and resumed climbing down the stairs.

* * *

Sasuke was shaken up.

The way her bare skin wrapped around him, and her slender fingers grazing the hairs on his neck… _What the hell?_ Sasuke shook his head roughly, causing the strange thoughts to flee.

He only resumed his pace once he had gained control over himself. His composure was picked up, and he once again stepped into his thoughts, only this time, aware of staying at least a foot behind his charge.

He must have looked like a fool.

Falling into her arms like that. What kind of ninja was he?

Once again he was outdone by the stranger; while he tripped over like a baka, she managed to hold herself high. She was almost too high to reach.

Sasuke's thoughts were true.

Hinata was a warrior, far greater than a regular ninja. She held herself in a way that made others want to kneel. Like nobility.

_Nobility._

The word turned Sasuke's thoughts towards Konoha's most powerful clan, the Hyuga. There was a similarity between her and the Hyuga. They both held themselves proudly. Only Hinata had a different edge, she was more… wild.

Not wild as if she were a savage, but more like a cat. Fierce and strong, she had an appearance of being well groomed. She walked with grace; fast, lithe, and sharp. Yet, she was her own master, or rather, she was her master's bidding, and no one else could ever control her.

An untamed feline.

* * *

Hinata was more flustered about the contretemps than she let off to be.

Despite having roughly pushed him back into position, her pace included a hidden meaning other than the fact of irritation.

_He's weak._

That was obvious. She had battled him, and now she learned firsthand his appearance when he was off duty. But like the first battle, she, for some odd reason, still held on to the thought that he had potential.

Unlike the other villagers she had met, he seemed darker. He had a composure that leaked stoicism, and yet he still managed to make his feelings known. He was like her polar opposite, yet still quite similar to her.

It frustrated her.

Not of hatred, more of envy. He was everything she wanted to be. He was cool and dark, yet still emotional. He had feelings. He had weaknesses. He still had friends despite all of the above. He-

What was she doing?

She barely knew him for even a day. Yet here she was, thinking of him, creating a _bond. _That would bring no good. She must put a stop to it before it can happen. She must distance herself.

Konoha was as good as gone in a year anyway; he may have his friends who wanthim, but the Akatsuki _needed_ her.

_**The smaller the weapon, the greater the pain, for the victim, in their dying moment, will feel more shame.**_


	10. Chapter 8

The earlier inner struggles of the pair were temporarily forgotten as midday approached.

The streets of Konoha were bustling this time, shop owners and customers arguing, academy students on break scattering and giggling, and everyone in-between roamed the streets, wrapped up in conversations and shopping.

Many heads turned as the saw the village's ice cube, _Sasuke_, walking with a _girl_, no less.

They were not as oblivious as they let off, for everyone knew Sasuke's hatred toward any female being. Even his fan girls knew it, though they were stubborn, firmly believing that they'd be able to reach a part of his seemingly nonexistent heart if they confessed enough.

He wasn't homosexual, he was just _cold_. Proud to the point of thinking he doesn't need anybody but himself, Sasuke was known as a loner out of his own free will.

Hinata knew she was drawing much suspicion.

Not only was her cloaked form strange among the casual light colours of the villagers, but her escort seemed bitterly popular.

The stares, despite this, went ignored as she walked on, her head high, and Sasuke doing the same beside her.

After the incident, the boy decided to walk beside her, in fear of a repeat if he walked behind her. She rolled her eyes under her hood.

People and their embarrassment. She'd never understand it.

* * *

They reached the other side of the village in their strolling, coming across a huge compound.

It compound was large, to say the least. A square of cropped, neat grass, not a weed invader to be seen. The houses all looked the same, traditionally low with polished wooden porches, except for a spiraling path leading up to a larger building, decorated with paper lanterns and a large, faded sign, that she couldn't really make out.

Something stirred inside of Hinata. There was something familiar about this place, yet it made her want to turn around and run. Her shaded face was slowly draining, the lower half of her face visibly pale.

An approaching chakra signature drew her attention, and her shoulders tensed as she turned towards the arrival.

He was a ninja, from his headband and outfit. He had long, brown hair, reaching to his waist and tied in a low ponytail. Strong facial features were set into a pale, emotionless face, his lips thinning as he walked proudly towards them.

However, the most startling feature about him were his eyes.

Pale lavender. Byukugan eyes. _Her _eyes.

Before her stood one of her family- no, one of her past.

"Uchiha."

His voice was low and soft, yet carried authority. The boy he addressed gave a scowl of his own in return, before replying in the same manner.

"Hyuga."

* * *

Sasuke saw her fists clench, nails digging into the flesh of her palms.

_What's going on with her?_

However, it wasn't until she actually _tensed_that he realised that it might be because of Hyuga Neji. _Do they know each other?_

He never liked Neji, but acknowledged he was strong, and so, they both respected each other. If you could call a rivalry 'respect', anyways.

The Hyuga's eyes were trained on the girl next to him, and Sasuke comprehended the unspoken question. "This is Ikustaka Hinata, she's from the Mist."

"Ah."

An Uchiha eyebrow raised slightly, wondering why she didn't introduce herself this time. Meanwhile, the girl in question was currently finding it difficult to swallow.

* * *

Neji had been her best friend, when she was three and he was four. They loved each other, loved each other as any sister and brother could.

But then, after the cursed seal had been put on him, everything changed.

In bitterness and anger, he hated her. Blamed her and her Main House status for ruining the lives of the Branch. For taking away his father.

Not knowing how to react to this startling wall of hatred, she allowed herself to withdraw into a fearful, stuttering, weak shell offering feeble protection.

For one whole year she remained weak. And then, with the death of her own mother, she was plunged into the year that turned her into a true Hyuga.

Despite everything however, she had always loved her nii-san.

How could she forget the times they played together, cared for each other. He had spent most of her childhood making her happy, even if it lasted for a short while.

That was enough for a lifetime.

And now, here he was, standing in front of her, grown up as was she. Both had changed, both had matured.

She had grown up under the harsh training of the Akatsuki. Molded into their weapon. Perfected into the perfect ninja.

He had grown up confined in the walls of the Hyuga. Molded into the pride of his clan. The perfect prodigy.

Perhaps the two weren't very different after all.

* * *

For the first time, Hinata wanted to show emotion. Even just a little. Enough for him to recognise her.

An emotion that would describe the happiness, sadness, love, to see her nii-san again.

But she couldn't even if she wanted to. No matter how much she tried, Hinata was numb. Inside and out.

Hinata's thoughts turned to the rest of her family.

Her little sister, the murderer of her mother. Kaa-san would never have died if her sibling hadn't been born.

Then, her father. _Her father._

The proud Head of the clan. The Head of her life. The one who had thought her existence was a waste of space, a hindrance, a burden.

She forced herself to remember that even if Neji was here, he wasn't her brother. _That _Neji was dead.

He was now a Hyuga. He was like her _beloved_ father. It was futile to feel anything for him, even if she could.

Neji Nii-san was killed by Hyuga Neji. That was the way of a ninja's life. To kill or be killed.

Hinata's composure was regained; she slipped into her role and was ready for the stage. Ignoring Neji's outstretched awaiting hand, she gave a quick nod and circumvented the Hyuga, Sasuke trailing after her.

Leaving but a fragment of the past baffled behind her, just as it should be.

* * *

Before, she had foolishly assumed that the mission would have been easy, only to realise that it was not the regular information gathering mission it appeared to be.

The mission was much deeper.

It involved breaking her remaining bonds and avoiding making new ones. It seemed impossible, but the Akatsuki were known for doing the unbelievable, and Hinata would achieve it; she had to if she wanted to become an official part of the Akatsuki.

Leader-sama was truly a genius. He had put her in her old village, with her family and past; people she could easily become attached with.

In the Akatsuki, she was isolated, never mingling with commoners. Now she had to live among them.

Hinata would overcome this challenge; she had not spent eleven years training with the most powerful criminal masterminds to be killed by these weaklings.

* * *

Sasuke arched an eyebrow at her attitude towards Neji. It seems like he wasn't the only one who disliked the Hyuga.

But from this morning, she had been friendly with the other Rookie Eight. Even as far as being polite with Sakura and Ino. What could have gotten her into such a mood?

Though, Sasuke couldn't even say she had mood. She never changed her voice, always keeping it soft and monotone. She remained mysterious, even after introducing herself.

A stranger among the familiar.

Sasuke couldn't figure her out. No matter, she was a villager now. He had plenty of time to find out who Hinata really was, for she just couldn't be who she claimed to be.

* * *

The pair, lost in their own thoughts, found themselves once again in the training grounds. Their original spot however, was already occupied.

"MOVE IT, COME ON, ANOTHER ROUND AT THE TREE!!"

A piercing whistle sounded, and they moved closer to find three shinobi occupied in the midst of… a training session?

Hinata could see that there was a girl, only a little older than herself, bossily shouting at a very large ninja. The ninja had a strange hairdo and swirls on his bloated sweat-gleaming cheeks.

The third ninja she almost didn't even notice, for he was sitting up in a tree, lazily lying on his back on top of a branch and watching the sky. If it wasn't for his annoyed glances at the pair when they became particularly loud, she would have thought he was asleep.

As the girl was about to raise the whistle to her mouth once more, the ninja in the tree jumped down. He had noticed them.

"Sasuke, what are you doing here?"

The ninja's voice lacked any interest despite his question, and his pose was a languid slouch. He had dark hair, held high in a pony tail, and he wore a green Jounin vest with a black mesh shirt.

Hinata could almost _feel_ the brooding boy beside her brighten; this ninja before them must be a close companion of his.

"Ah, Shikamaru. I see that you're 'helping' Chouji train for the Jounin exams," he smirked, his friend was far too lazy for his own good, "I've been assigned as an escort by Hokage _Dobe_-sama to show the new transfer around."

Without waiting for the Jounin to respond, Hinata introduced herself. "I am Hinata Ikustaka, of the Mist. I was a former Special Jounin, before moving here. And you are…?"

"Nara Shikamaru, a Special Jounin like yourself. I qualify asa strategist. Though, if I may ask, it seems odd that you wear a cape. Living in the cool Mist, you must be boiling here in Konoha." The laziness in his voice was gone.

Hinata was impressed. This ninja was sharp, which shouldn't have been surprising as he just claimed he's a strategist. Yet still…

Hinata didn't pause too long or answer too quickly, knowing that she should be careful when answering to somebody as alert as he was, despite all appearances.

"Pleasure to meet you Nara-san. You're, it is warmer here in your village, but growing up in the Mist, my eyes aren't used to the brightness of sunny Konoha. I think you would understand that as a ninja, we must protect our eyes."

Shikamaru nodded, accepting her logical answer. This new transfer knew her stuff.

Now the duo that had been quiet while introductions were exchanged, stepped forward.

Shikamaru gave a deep sigh before introducing them, "Hinata-san, you may refer to me by my first name. Nara-san makes me feel like my father. Anyway, meet my friends, Akimichi Chouji and Tenten, the weapon mistress."

Hinata looked over the two for a second, before nodding in greeting. "I see you two are training for exams?"

Immediately, Tenten jumped.

"Hai! Welcome to our village, Hinata-san. You see, I'm training Chouji here for the Jounin exams. He failed the first few times, but that's because he didn't have the best weapon wielder in Konoha to help him! He is sure to get it this time." She pumped a tan fist in the air.

Hinata felt a liking towards the girl, she seemed enthusiastic as a ninja. It was a pleasant change from the stoic ones she had to grow up with.

"You must be quite impressive with weapons, then. I'd love to spar with you. I'm becoming restless anyway."

Tenten's eyes lit up. It was on.

* * *

Sasuke and Shikamaru leaned side by side in the shade of a tree as the two kunoichi readied themselves.

He had first become friends with Shikamaru after he came back to the village. The Nara had always distanced himself from the traitor, but when he returned, the genius confronted him.

After all, he had ruined his mission when they went to retrieve the Uchiha. The failure had been the most painful day of Shikamaru's life, for his charges had almost died. He didn't feel the least bit of pity for the traitor as he took it out on him.

Sasuke silently absorbed the usually lazy ninja's troubles, knowing that he deserved it.

When Shikamaru had run out of breath, Sasuke had done the unbelievable.

He _bowed._

Then the Uchiha, who had suddenly become some miracle maker, even _apologised_. He was remorseful, for he knew well what kind of shame and guilt Shikamaru felt.

Ever since that day, the wall of bitterness between them was torn down by forgiveness, and so began their quiet friendship.

They were both glad to have one another. Sasuke was grateful that he had somebody other than the boasts of stupid answers at every rhetorical question he spewted, and Shikamaru was content to have somebody quiet for once, that won't complain nonsense about how he's lazy.

They respected each other.

And through this friendship, he was able to share with Shikamaru his thoughts over a certain ninja…

* * *

Hinata loosened the sash of her sword, ready to reach behind and grab it at the right moment. She patted down her pouches of small weapons, making sure everything was there.

As always, she was completely prepared.

Her hand pulled the hood of her cape lower, and she waited for her opponent to make the first move. The wait didn't last long.

_Whoosh!_

The weapon mistress unfurled a small scroll swiftly, and several shruiken went flying at Hinata, testily.

_Thud!_

All five were caught on each of her fingers and sent flying back at the opponent, shredding the scroll. It was Hinata's turn.

She pulled out two kunai and expertly flung them so that they hit either side of Tenten. Wasting no time, she then gave a running start and flipped so she faced Tenten's back. A spinning kick sent the opponent to the ground.

Tenten coughed as she swallowed dust. On all fours, she said, "You're fast, but it's not over yet."

The mistress tried to get up but she couldn't. "What…"

Hinata kicked more dust up, revealing faint blue lines almost invisible in the air. "I attached the kunai to chakra, and then laced it around my finger so when I kicked you, it would complete the binding."

Tenten struggled against the chakra strings, and Hinata stood watching passively, a few feet away, arms crossed and cloak hem fluttering in the soft wind. She waited.

Suddenly, chestnut fingers unfurled a scroll, and four daggers rose in midair, slashing at the chakra. It only took seconds for her to be freed.

Wasting no more time, Tenten reached behind her back and pulled out a pair of larger scrolls, jumping into the air. With a blur of brown hands shifting through swift handseals, she shouted, "Rising Twin Dragons!"

A swarm of weapons floated around her like a whirlwind, rotating faster and faster. However, Tenten didn't stop there.

She knew she had to go all out on this one.

"DRAGON SCATTERING DESTRUCTION!"

The weapons multiplied into a sea of silver whirlwind. Each glinted maliciously, and Tenten swept her hand forward, causing the mass of weapons to plummet.

Heading straight for Hinata.

Hinata pulled out her sword, the sash fluttering uselessly to the ground. The handle was large for her small grip, making the sword seem even larger.

Time seemed to slow, as the hooded girl gracefully dodged around the weapons, knocking each over with the flat sides of her blade.

Not even a single shuriken got past her defense, the sword slicing so fast, it seemed like there were several rather than one.

Suddenly, every weapon littered the round, defeated. Hinata had the tip of her blade under Tenten's chin. The opponent raised her palms in surrender.

* * *

Shikamaru's eyes were wide, his laziness dropped completely.

Instead of boredom, he seemed like an awe-struck genin. Sasuke however, already having seen Hinata's talents, remained indifferent, though he did raise an eyebrow in approval.

"She was able to time herself perfectly and could conjure up the strategy from the beginning. Tenten was playing right into her plan!"

Sasuke smirked at his amazed tone. "You must be itching to see if this girl rivals you in intelligence, huh? What are you going to do, challenge her to a game of shouji?"

The lazy nin's murmur was caught just barely by the Uchiha's keen ears. "I just might do that…"

Sasuke cleared his throat, trying to bring his friend's attention back to the topic on hand. "What do you think though?"

His friend nodded, "I agree with you, she is way too strong to be a simple jounin. Even now, she is holding back. I think there's more to her than what meets the eye."

Shikamaru put his hands together, in his thinking stance. "Her sword, maybe that could be a clue. Do you remember, when you faced that Mist ninja years ago, what his blade looked like?"

Sasuke remained silent for a few minutes. _I remember, Zabuza and Haku. Zabuza's sword was similar to the Akatsuki, Kisame, but Hinata's sword on the other hand is strange compared to the chakra stealing blades…_

"I remember, but her sword is more delicate and made out of a different material. The sword of the Mist, however, was able to drain Chakra."

Shikamaru was expecting that answer, and replied immediately, "Correct. From this information, we can make an assumption that Hinata isn't the Mist ninja she says she is. The question is, who _is_ she then? It'll take research, too troublesome to bother. She's strong, but now as a fellow villager, she can't be that much of a threat."

Sasuke paid no attention to the last part, already stunned over the fact that Hinata is hiding her identity. _This girl…_

* * *

Despite losing, Tenten seemed like the happiest ninja in the world.

"That was the _best _battle ever_-"_

"You have to teach me that technique where you-"

"Where did you get that suit? I must get one-"

"Do you want to spar again sometime-"

"That cloak looks _so_ cool on you-"

Hinata accepted the praises of the hyper defeated girl tiredly, and she politely nodded and shook her head when it was necessary. Despite, Tenten was a strong opponent.

Hinata had unconsciously made her first friend, even if she was supposed to avoid bonds. She had no choice, or the girl would probably stalk her like a Sasuke fan girl.

After agreeing to come over Tenten's Weapon Shop some day, she looked over to see Sasuke and Shikamaru deep in conversation.

Waiting a few seconds, she caught the eye of her escort and signaled that she wanted to leave.

* * *

Hinata sighed as she gazed up at the dark ceiling of her room. She had pulled the curtains over her windows, submerging herself into blackness.

She had met quite a few ninja and already had to struggle only on the first day. Now that she knew what kind of environment she was in, Hinata would be more prepared. She had to be.

Then, the girl sat up in bed as she remembered one more important thing.

_The exams are tomorrow. _

Giving a small smirk, she slowly lay back down. After tomorrow, after she became an official ninja of Konoha, the mission would truly begin.

_**The weapon was sharpened and sheathed, ready for the upcoming battle.**_


	11. Chapter 9

The dawn sky was gray and foggy, as the sun was too drowsy to even shine the full light of its rays. It was ludicrous for anybody to be up at such an ungodly time, except for one ninja way down below in the village of Konoha.

Hinata stirred and awoke, her sensitive ears hearing nothing, nothing being the problem. It was unusually quiet.

Sitting up, she looked around her unfamiliar room, the events of her mission rushing back at her.

It was normal for her to be up at such a time in the Akatsuki, as it was a requirement to be alert and adaptable to any given time. A shinobi could not afford to fumble an attack due to fatigue.

Swiftly, with languid-bare grace, Hinata swung her legs off of the low bed, already dressed. She ran a pale hand easily through her dark locks as she headed for the bathroom.

Her bare toes twitched at the freezing tiles, and she stood in front of the mirror, not even gazing up to her reflection. She ran a towel under cold water of the faucet, dabbing her face and arms, and a toothbrush was stuck in her mouth; multi-task to a whole new level.

Before you knew it, she had snapped her cloak in place, pulled over the hood, and popped a soldier pill in her mouth. Within seconds she was out of the house, destination: The Hokage Tower.

* * *

Sasuke's keen ears picked up small footsteps heading past his door towards the exit of the apartment complex. Who in the world would be up at this ungodly hour?

The boy gave a muffled sigh into his pillow and rolled over, drifting back to sleep, as any normal villager would.

* * *

It was good that she had paid attention when Sasuke took her to the office, Hinata thought to herself. She now stood hovering above a mass jumble of black and orange.

Hinata raised her gloved hands to form some hand seals, allowing a silencing jutsu to drape over the room. Then, she delved into one of her pockets and withdrew a velvet pouch.

It had been a parting gift from Deidara-sama, the latest of his creations. He had designed it to be indestructible and self-reparable, great in a situation that would require a distraction.

Or, in this case, a wake-up call.

Hinata reached into the pouch and pulled out a small clay sculpture of a cat. It was fragile; the artistic details in the ears and eyes making it seem almost life like. Hinata balanced the figurine in the palm of her hand, right above Naruto's sleeping figure.

"Kai."

_BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!_

A flash of yellow and orange rose four feet up into the air, his scream drowned in the explosion. As the last of it faded away, Hinata calmly replaced the cat back into her pouch.

"I'm never going to get a decent nap with you around here now, eh Hinata?"

Said girl responded with a small smirk.

_Art is a bang._

* * *

In a twisted déjà vu, Hinata found herself once again in the office of the Hokage, ready to get down to business. At least this time, there was an odds-on chance that the business would be genuine.

Naruto sleepily rubbed his eyes, not even bothering to cover his yawn.

"Alright, 'cause you're so anxious for the exams, I've already filled out the forms for you. The exams will not only qualify you as an official villager and shinobi, but your rank for the time being will also be considered. So you better put on a good display, believe it!"

His tan face grinned back at her, the whiskers on his cheeks more prominent in the strengthening morning light, but she didn't return the smile.

"Anyways… seeing how this is all of a sudden, and I _am_ the greatest Hokage ever, I'll allow you to choose your opponent. I'm that yesterday you got around to meeting the gang with the teme?"

Hinata simply nodded, knowing exactly who she wanted to battle.

This was bound to be interesting.

* * *

The large dome arena was bustling with excitement. All the villagers, shinobi, and civilians alike had gathered at the orders and invitation of the Hokage himself.

The audience whispered and chattered excitedly; it had leaked that the battle would involve the new transfer from the Mist. They had seen her just a day before, and curiosity was plentiful.

A promise hung in the air of an interesting match.

At one end of the dome, a large table was set up, behind which several jounin were seated. They were renowned throughout the village, and every so often someone would even come up to them for an autograph, for everyone was astonished at the fact that _they_ would be the judges.

The name plates at each place shined proudly.

_Hatake Kakashi_ - The silver haired ninja lazily had his nose stuffed inside that infamous book, but if one observed closely, they could see his tense shoulders.

_Yuuhi Kurenei_- The crimson-eyed beauty looked sharp and serious, twirling a wavy strand of dark hair around her finger.

_Maito Gai_- The boastful green beast was standing on his chair, boasting about something nobody cared to listen to. His student, Rock Lee, had already come up a dozen times for his autograph.

_Sarutobi Asuma_- The smoke rising from his ever-present cigarette veiled the interest in his eyes.

Naruto had told them to serve as judges for an exam but given no further detail. This was Uzumaki for crying out loud, he usually wasn't reliable for information. Despite being Hokage, the kid had a lot of growing up to do.

As a result, the judges were just as expectant as the audience.

The crowd quieted as a figure in robes glided into the center of the arena. As he lifted his head, bright cerulean eyes looked fondly over the citizens of a village he loved more than anything in the world.

"PEOPLE OF KONOHA!"

Naruto's voice bellowed, his voice echoing through the edged silence. There were times when it was a good thing to be loud; he didn't even need a jutsu to amplify his voice.

He continued, "Today you all will witness a battle, an exam. This battle has no boundaries, no limits. It can take all day, or it can end in a few minutes. To put it bluntly, this is going to be _AWESOME_, BELIEVE IT!"

Cheers broke out throughout the audience, now on their feet in excitement.

Naruto waited patiently for them to quiet down before continuing, "The examiners," he swept a hand towards the jounin table, "will grade this ninja on…"

Kurenei stood up first and placed her hands on her hips, "Genjutsu."

Gai practically jumped in the air, "TAI-JUTSU"

Asuma gave a puff before replying stuffily, "Strategy."

Then… waiting…

…

…

"KAKASHI-SENSEIIII!!!!" Naruto was about to burst a vein, his face turning red.

"Hmm?" The silver haired jounin looked up at Naruto's bellow, causing half the arena to sweat-drop.

"Oh, yes…" Without even lowering his book he sighed, "Overall ninjutsu."

Naruto sent a glare at his former sensei before turning back to the audience, "With that_ finally_ said, may I present the examinee…"

_POOF!_

Smoke filled the arena, and the audience leaned forward in their seats, straining their eyes.

A dark silhouette could be made out, becoming clearer and clearer as the fog slowly cleared away.

"HINATA IKUSTAKA, the newest transfer from the MIST!"

There was no applause.

* * *

Hinata, under the safety of her hood, looked up and around her. There were a lot of people. More people than she had ever been surrounded by in her life. At least, _alive_.

She expected a regular exam, but it was Naruto's insistence, and she couldn't say no. Besides, he was doing her a favor by letting her choose an opponent. She smirked.

Naruto gave a low cough before continuing, "Okay, um, now with that _warm_, may we finally introduce her opponent. Or should I say, _opponents_…"

_Poof! Poof! POOF! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof! POOF!_

Smoke erupted at every side of the arena, veiling the whole dome thickly. The audience gripped the edges of their seats, trying to get a glimpse.

It was…

Gasps rung out. They couldn't believe it. This foolish girl was battling…

Naruto smirked, as he dropped his Hokage robes to reveal his own battle outfit.

"Everyone."

* * *

Hinata found herself surrounded by all the shinobi she had met the day before.

Uzumaki, Haruno, Yamanaka, Tenten, Akimichi, Nara, Rock, she restrained a flinch, Hyuga, and finally, Sasuke.

They circled her like vultures, each positioning themselves in their own separate stances. Hinata lowered herself into her own stance, the familiar one she created in the Akatsuki.

Then, she waited. Only impatient fools attack first.

She had learned that from an early age.

As she spun, making eye contact with each shinobi in turn, she remembered her training.

How she was forced to sit on a rock all day; no food, no water, no talking. Building up her patience to the point of not moving a muscle for hours.

Instinctively, she patted down her pouches, feeling the familiar, comforting weight of her weapons.

She remembered how she was forced to make her own weapons. Sharpen them to the point from scratch. Then to have them dumped in a river, so that she would have to retrieve them, and find that they had been dulled by the water. To learn how to clean them again to avoid rusting.

She loosened her sash and pulled her hood down further, finally locking gazes with Sasuke.

Finally, all her training was going to be put to the ultimate test.

Then she flipped backward and caught Sakura's chakra-infused punch in her palm.

It had begun.

* * *

Hinata swept her foot down, causing the pink haired ninja to stumble back, giving herself enough time to spin and block Lee's attack.

The thick browed opponent's eyes glittered, and he met her in the air as she jumped.

He yelled, "LION COMBO!"

His foot went straight up, aiming for her stomach, but Hinata caught it between her elbows and ricocheted off his chest by pressing her knees together. They both plummeted towards the ground, and Hinata adjusted her weight by twisting them into a ball, causing him to land first.

As dust rose from the hard plummet, Hinata jumped backwards to avoid the impact. When her feet touched the ground, she found herself unable to move.

Shikamaru had timed her landing and carefully awaited her shadow to stretch enough to be in field for his shadow technique. Ino used her teammate's opportunity to raise her hands in her family's trademark mind control jutsu.

A few minutes passed, and Hinata remained completely as still as Ino.

"_AGHHHH!_"

Suddenly, Ino clutched her palms to her head, doubling over and whimpering in pain. "So dark… her mind… so.. so.."

Using the falter, Hinata transferred chakra to her hands. Just because she couldn't physically move didn't mean that she couldn't move her chakra.

Slowly, Hinata stretched the chakra into a dancing blue wall. Then, she made it lower, seeping up the shadow on her right side, turning it black.

All she needed was one hand seal.

"DARK BINDING NO JUTSU!"

Shikamaru found his technique blasting back at him, the black chakra wrapping around his body, binding him tightly. He felt himself go blue from the lack of air.

Hinata paid no mind to the defeated strategist after that as she dodged a flurry of metal coming at her. She used her arms to parry the blows, running swiftly towards the wall.

_Thud!_

Hinata bounced off the wall, parallel to the floor, flying straight forward with her arms at her side at a speed that made her seem like she was flying.

She jammed her knees onto Tenten's spine and worked her arms around so that her fingers could just brush the scrolls.

Smooth paper wrinkled under her fingers.

In a matter of seconds, she had yanked the wires connected to the sword over and pulled Tenten to the ground, tying the weapon mistress up in her own attack.

Tenten was left in a crumpled mess of metal, a kunai attached to one of the wires landing dangerously close to her head.

Hinata stepped back and turned around to find an enormous mass of green rolling straight at her. Calmly, despite the massive danger she was in, Hinata grabbed Tenten and pulled her in front of herself.

The mass stopped immediately, rolling sideways to show the squinting, chubby face of Chouji, reluctant as he was forced to slow his attack in order to protect his comrade.

All Hinata needed was that single second. She dropped the girl, and chakra infused her heels so she could jump the height needed to land on top of the large boy. She dug her chakra heel into him, causing him to groan as he rolled so that his head was at her feet.

Calmly, Hinata transferred chakra from her feet to the tip of her fingers and flicked his chubby nose.

He deflated into a mass of unconscious weight.

Hinata leapt off gracefully and found herself surrounded by the last three opponents: Naruto, Neji, and Sasuke.

The others had been fairly easy to defeat, barely considered genin compared to her level. But these three would be much more fun to play with. Hinata's ever present smirk deepened.

Unconsciously, she pulled her hood lower.

The four of them stood dead center in the arena, lowered in their stances, three surround one in the middle. The audience had been silent up till now, too consumed in the battle to even remember to breathe.

The jounin were even on the edge of their seats. Kakashi's book had been on the same page for the entire length of the battle, Kurenei had yanked out a strand of her hair, Asuma didn't even realise that his cigarette had charred out, and even Gai was sitting eerily still.

Everyone's eyes were trained on the strongest of their village.

The hooded girl in the center with the Uchiha, Hyuga, and Hokage slowly circling her. Their feet shifted in cadence.

Waiting for the next move.

_**The weapon quivered in anticipation, for the battle had just yet begun.**_


	12. Chapter 10

Hinata was well trained. She's known it and will know it smugly forever, for not everyone had the opportunity to get kidnapped and turned into an Akatsuki weapon.

But, despite the fact she was supposed to be the ultimate reason for success for the Akatsuki, Hinata was still human. Under her cape, she forced her harsh breaths silent. Her face shined with sweat, bangs plastered to a porcelain forehead. Her reddened eyes were of course hidden under a sheath, her cloak.

Even the appearance of tiredness was a weakness. Just as bad as _having_ a weakness.

If she looked strong, she would be strong.

Yet all her life, she was struggling to look like someone else.

When she was little, she tried to look like an heir her father would be proud of. Yet even a short crown of indigo hair only managed to frame an innocent face, a face that should have been born with high, hard cheekbones rather than soft, rosy cheeks, a nose that was supposed to be long, slender, and upturned rather than the small, button one venders would poke on the streets when she would shyly ask what an item was, narrowed, cold white eyes, rather than the large, lavender innocent ones she would blink widely up at her father's disgusted face… she was born flawed, when she was meant to be perfect.

And since she didn't look perfect, she couldn't be perfect.

But in reality, on the inside, the supposedly hallow inside, she had human in her.

She was still just as she was when she was born, when her impossibly tiny form was caressed near her mother's heart. On the inside, she was her mother's daughter, forced to grow up at a young, abandoned age. The reflection she saw whenever she looked into a mirror was not a name, yet a child.

And like a child, she could easily be manipulated, easily be knead as if she were made of clay.

She was dressed as an Akatsuki, making her look like an Akatsuki, meaning she was an Akatsuki. She was a weapon. And she wouldn't let them down.

As Hinata was surrounded, she kept up her fearless veil. For if she showed fear, she would feel fear. And feeling was a weakness.

Weaknesses were burdens. When would the day come where there were none left to carry on her shoulders? When she could drop her hood? When would she straighten her back and speak her true name?

Hinata's bangs fell over her eyes as she jerked her head back in a swiftly, hands withdrawing kunai from invisible pockets.

Her feet shifted slightly. Waiting.

"_Rasengan!"_

"_Chidori!"_

"_Katan!"_

Three attacks, three _powerful_attacks. At the same time, simultaneously. Each glowing bright in a mass of chakra.

If you can do the math, the amount of chakra with the trio combo could kill, would kill.

Hinata had no time; she was swift, but she wasn't three people. Her hand seals flew. She wasn't quick enough. Her own chakra had almost depleted from the other opponents as it was.

Hinata crossed her arms in a defensive position, turning from weapon to shield. If her blade dented, if she lost, if she died, it would be because she was too weak. If she was too weak, she was a complete failure. And failures should not be allowed to take up the precious breath provided in a ninja's short lifetime.

Such was the way of the Akatsu-

_Whoosh!_

Hinata jumped, startled as she sensed yet another mass of chakra. A thousand chakra beings in one mass, to be precise. Her eyes widened under her hood, looking at the black, fluttering wall encasing her.

A thud could be heard as the chakra wall met the attacks. Even if a human was not faster than chakra, chakra vs. chakra would compliment and fuse.

As swiftly as it came, as swiftly the chakra wall depleted into thousands of twittering bugs. They formed in a single wave, enwrapping and then releasing a familiar figure.

Shino had his arm stretched in front of him with his palm facing forward as his bugs seeped back into him. Next to him landed the burly form of his teammate, a grin that stretched from one red marked cheek to another, sitting upon a titanic of a dog.

Aburame Shino.

Inuzaka Kiba.

Akamaru.

The last three of 'everyone' she had met had arrived. Late, but they had come.

* * *

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his Chidori failing as the shrilling bird chirps faded away. Once again, the hooded girl had evaded her loss.

He had been _so _close. Sure, it had been three against one. But the satisfaction of beating this girl who continuously made him look like a foolish genin was enough to unregister the unfairness.

Life wasn't fair.

He turned his glare towards the Hokage, who was too impressed to be angered that someone had escaped his mighty Rasengan. Was Sasuke the only one who craved her defeat?

He didn't bother looking at the Hyuga; the pale-eyed ninja would not show any reaction of the sort. Especially at the risk of losing his stoicism in front of the entire village.

When Naruto met his eyes, his silent question was immediately responded by a shrug. Sasuke sighed, for he knew that Shino and Kiba would be allowed to join her.

All she asked for was to fight everyone, but everyone still had a choice as to what side they were fighting on.

* * *

Hinata felt like an idiot. Though she was a grateful idiot.

She was almost killed, and then she was _saved_. If Leader-sama ever saw her like this, hell, if Itachi-sensei ever even heard of her like this, she would be eliminated on the spot, if she didn't die from shame first, of course.

However, she wasn't foolish enough not to recognise help when she needed it. Let her remain an idiotic damsel in distress, but she would drop her hood the day she would become _foolish_.

A small nod was all she gave to her saviors in gratitude. After all, by saving her she did turn out to look helpless in front of the entire village.

No need to blow the trio of Prince Charmings inflated egos.

Hinata dropped into her stance once again, only this time not alone, with Kiba on top of Akamaru on her right, and Shino with his arms folded across his chest on the left. The pieces were reset fairly.

She looked at the similarly formed line of opponents in front of her. Neji's Byakugan enhanced pale pupils glared into Kiba's compressed dark ones, Sasuke's cool stance leaned away from Shino's calm pose, and the Hokage's brilliant grin was met with her scowl.

She glanced at her newly formed teammates from under her hood.

Teammates.

She mastered in everything. All elements, all jutsu styles. But she had never worked in a team before.

The Akatsuki were known in working as partners, not as teams. Even as partners, it could hardly count as a team, for every member fended for themselves. They never had to protect each other, they never needed to protect each other.

The criminals, ironically, followed the ninja code loyally; to kill or be killed.

Yet, in what she had noticed for far in Konoha, every ninja here was familiar with one another. They bonded with each other to the point of being either companions or rivals.

If Hinata was to ever become a villager, or as she liked to think of it, undercover resident, she had to be able to adapt to Konoha's practices, despite the sickly lovey-dovey bonding community it was.

And, what better way to show that she could fit in than through her ranking exams? This was a chance to gain people's favour and respect, especially by the blonde shinobi leader in front of her.

"_There you will rise in ranks, come closest to Hokage as possible."_

That was what Leader-sama had requested, that was what Leader-sama had _ordered_. Hinata hadn't stayed alive in the Akatsuki for failing a mission. A weapon's purpose is to obey its master without question, fault, or hesitation.

She would use all her skills to the best of her capabilities to complete her exam, her mission, her master's will. Even if it meant to sink low into the lifestyle of a 'common' shinobi.

Yes, this village was now her home, and the imbecile before her was her new Leader-sama. At least, until the true owner came back to reclaim their weapon, this dagger was in the wrong hands for now.

As if a hidden message had been sent through both opposing teams, they leaped forward into attack.

* * *

Kiba's growl strengthened Akamaru's as they both unveiled claws in attempt to dig into the tan flesh of their Hokage.

Shino's chakra bugs buzzed in harmony with Sasuke's chirping Chidori.

And Hinata, she was glaring down into eyes so very similar to hers, yet with all arguments, miles apart in difference. She stared into the eyes of her- no, he wasn't hers, he was just Hyuga Neji.

Definitely not her nii-san.

The two cousins were inches apart from each other. Her cloak's hem fluttered as she swiftly moved from side to side, expertly avoiding the jabs to her tenketsu, aware that one gentle prod would shut her chakra points down for days.

Hinata couldn't follow in his Jyukken style for the simple fact that she couldn't reveal too much. She had not activated the Byakugan for over a decade, and she didn't need those eyes, for now, due to intense training, she could sense chakra just fine without them.

Instead, she aimed for the next best thing after chakra holes. Pressure points. Two sets of fingers dodged and curled through the air. Each set evaded the other.

Neji's long brown hair tumbled over his shoulder as he lunged down, his arms blocking the attack to his neck.

Hinata's hand instead met with the knot of his headband, her fingers untying it in the process, sending it clattering to the ground.

Her hooded eyes met the green glow of his brand. The brand of the Branch member. The brand that had turned Neji nii-san into Hyuga Neji.

She could no longer look at him, no longer fight him. Maybe, just this once, she was glad she was on a team.

She flipped over and traded places with Shino, letting the bug master settle the rest with her cousin.

Taijutsu. Check.

* * *

Hinata didn't know what to feel after her short, (could it even be called a battle?), encounter with her cous- no, the Hyuga. She had one year to figure out what to do with her feelings, or rather, the fragments of her bond, with him. Could blood really be denied?

Hinata shook her head, chasing away the thoughts. Weapons do not offer a second thought.

When would that become imprinted in her mind? When she ceased being a human merely _pretending_ to be a weapon, of course.

* * *

The Uchiha unleashed his frustration on the Aburame, wrist snapping in a bare dodge of the chakra-eating bugs.

Why did Hyuga get to battle the new transfer? It wasn't fair.

The raven haired shinobi shook his pale fist, trying to throw the clinging bugs off. When he managed to flick the last black dot off, he ran a pale hand through his hair before flinging a kunai weakly at the solid wall of chakra insects. This was just a waste of chakra, the Uchiha mused, raising his hands to make the seals for a fire katon.

Suddenly, a blur passed through his opponent, and instead of the tall form of the dark bug user, a hooded girl stood in front of him, her chest rising and falling with every breath, already lowered into her stance. Just the kunoichi he was eagerly awaiting.

Sasuke dropped his attack. No time for mere fire attacks. This time he was going all out.

* * *

Hinata spun her body midair as she narrowly dodged a line of shuriken, embedding into the wall behind her.

If that's how he was going to be…

Hinata flung a few kunai down at the Uchiha as she landed on the ground on all fours, her last kunai securely gripped between her teeth. She jerked her chin up, causing the invisible strings attached to it to move testily.

Unfortunately, her opponent was expecting it.

Before she could guide the kunai into a binding attack around him, he literally tore down her plans by cutting through the stings with a thin, sharp line of chakra sent from the blur of his hand sweeping down.

Hinata took the kunai from her mouth, twirling it on her finger as she stood up into her stance. She wasn't kept waiting very long.

Sasuke ran with full speed at her, knocking the kunai out of her hand and into his own. In the midst of the attack, he managed to tear a piece out of her glove's wrist, the fabric fluttering to the ground.

She was not pleased at the fact he managed to touch her, even if it was just clothing, with her own weapon.

Hmm. She had even considered going easy on the boy, after defeating him once. Well, now that he had foolishly challenged her, it was _on_.

She swiftly ran up behind him, using his shoulders to give her some air height. Then, executing a full flip, her feet connected with his hard chest.

Sasuke went crashing to the wall, and his form disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"Shadow Shruiken!"

Hinata twirled around and let herself get hit, leaving a piece of concrete in her place. It looked horribly similar to the kind that was made of the arena's walls.

* * *

The audience was going crazy. Three battles at once? This was amazing.

Their eyes spun in their heads as they tried to keep up; they certainly weren't disappointed.

* * *

Hinata pulled out her blade with no intention of actually wielding it. Instead she dug it into the ground, lightening her weight.

With a notch of gained speed, Hinata flew around the room, this time a serious echo in her footsteps, the echo of the Akatsuki Weapon.

* * *

Sasuke stood still in the center of the arena, his eyes blazed red as he waited, tense, for the blur of his opponent to come to a stop. Her speed was unworldly, even now it was gaining, and suddenly, she vanished.

He blinked too soon.

Suddenly, needles pierced him, a thousand invisible, stinging pains by the second coming from all directions. His clothes shred with miniscule holes, and thin lines of red outlined various contours of his exposed face and arms.

His groan of pain was barely swallowed as a needle hit uncomfortably close to the pressure point on his neck, and he brought his hand up to cover it, pulling the silver tipped with crimson out with a wince.

He threw it back at her, and a few dark hairs flew down at his feet. That was the last thing he saw before bringing his arms back up to cover his face as another shower of needles rained down on him.

If this kept up, he would die from blood loss.

Sasuke mustered up a dangerous amount of chakra, directing it to his eyes.

* * *

Hinata forgot how long she was running. Few minutes, many hours? Was this battle to carry on for days?

A bead of sweat trailed down the side of her forehead. She was pushing her limits when she was supposed to have won the battle without a sweat.

Her chakra was low, too low, and all she could afford to do now was clone these needles and throw. Hardly a jutsu, but she had no choice, it would have to suffice.

Suddenly, a needle dug itself into the wall she was about to pass, and suddenly, her bangs were shortened. How had he been able to predict her movements? It couldn't be possible, she was supposed to be invisible to the naked eye…

Hinata turned around, her shaded gaze locked with familiar crimson eyes. The Sharingan.

Unconsciously, she made a grave mistake, one that could have thrown the entire mission away.

"Itachi-sensei…?"

Her breath was knocked out of her as she dragged by her collar up against a wall. His breath was hot on her face as he growled a dark whisper into her ear, voice dripping with fury. "What did you just say?"

* * *

_Poof!_

_Boom!_

Suddenly, instead of being the one pinning her to the wall, Sasuke found himself pinned. She was too short to really raise him off his feet as he had done to her, but she was able to clutch his collar enough to make his pale face turn a lighter shade of blue.

Did he hear what he thought he did? How did this girl know about his brother? How did she know about Itachi? _Why did she call him sensei?_

Sasuke was shaken out of his thoughts as a jolt of chakra went through his him. He _heard_ his ribs crack. Despite grunting in pain, his anger and confusion motivated him. He would not lose without a fight.

* * *

Hinata was shocked. Confused. Furious.

First of all, she had come dangerously close to failing her mission. Why had she been so _stupid_?

In the spur of the moment, his eyes had looked so much like Itachi's own, a pond of red with three deep black corpses drowning…

There it was. The feeling in her stomach. The heat.

Second of all, she felt like ramming her head against the wall for not having realised it before. Sasuke had the Sharingan eyes. Of course he was related to Itachi.

How could she have forgotten? She had been there when Neji, an unconscious shudder suddenly sent goosebumps up her arms as she recalled her cousin's name, and had heard him call Sasuke an Uchiha. She had even mused earlier that he looked familiar! And now he revealed he has the Sharingan.

How was she supposed to get commissioned into the Akatsuki if she was missing all these clue details?

Finally, Hinata was furious at the boy who had touched her. _Nobody _touched her. Ever. And yet this complete commoner decided lay a hand on her…

She was suddenly torn away from her thoughts when her gaze had hit met the Sharingan's. Her world suddenly seeped a familiar crimson.

Well, isn't this familiar?

* * *

Sasuke found himself punched against the wall as his genjutsu failed. How had she escaped? Impossible! Nothing could break the Tsukiyomi…

The raven haired boy sank to the ground, running a hand through his sweaty locks. His chest ached, and his eyes bled onyx as the last of his chakra ran out.

His last attack. His last chance. Failed.

Ninjutsu. Check.

Hinata backed away from him, leaving him to drown in his loss once again. He had lost, but she'd give him the credit that it was a better fight than before. He was a worthy opponent, for a commoner.

She took in his tired, sorry state. His clothes clung to him in sweat, showing his abs (not that she cared), and his face was set in a childish frown. His hair, despite the bangs plastered to his forehead, was still boyishly spiky. His eyes were deep and dark, unlike the permanent crimson Itachi had.

Some strange feeling fluttered in her chest. Different yet similar to the feelings with Itachi. But with Itachi, her feelings were in her stomach. This one was higher…

The strange, _weak _feelings, sensations, whatever strange illness they may be were forgotten when Hinata was blasted to the other side of the arena, hitting the wall with a huge thump that echoed throughout the now surprisingly silent arena as the audience observed wide-eye on the edge of their seats.

Shino and Kiba were in a crumpled heap, defeated.

Neji had lost consciousness from chakra depletion and tiredness.

She turned to see the ever effervescent Hokage, his blue eyes and blonde hair electrifying. His hands glowing with chakra.

He was in perfect condition. She couldn't say the same. She was tired, and she almost used the last of her chakra in Sasuke. She couldn't go on.

Besides, fighting the Hokage would send suspicions. She was too much of a match to go unnoticed. Hinata did not need the unnecessary attention, it would only hold her back.

Especially if she was to remain a 'trusted' ninja for the remaining year.

She showed no fatigue or betraying emotion, preferring to face it up with dignity. She stood in front of the chakra emitting Naruto, his grin a curved ray of light in comparison to her abyss-like scowl.

Any normal shinobi would have fallen to their knees at this point. Hinata would keep up her appearances as a strong weapon, despite wobbling slightly.

She raised a shredded gloved hand. The audience at this point was on their feet, all attention focused on the last two opponents, the last battle…

"I give up."

…and what a short battle it was.

Her soft voice rung in every pair of ears, and yet, looks of disbelief still popped up on every face.

* * *

Hinata clasped her hands together, the arena was still standing in shocked silence. She whispered to herself.

"Release."

The last of her chakra. The very, _very_last drained out of her, forcing her knees to collapse. Five lines of blue trickled from her fingertips, meeting in one small droplet, and slowly dripped down into her other hand. It balled into a ball of light and began to glow. The chakra began to expand, glittering and dancing off the walls as it spread over the arena.

Tenten was no longer tangled in wires, and instead she was in a corner, her brown buns slightly frizzled and her chocolate pupils dilated.

Rock Lee was up and at it, as usual. He was en-wrapped in his own happy world, a mental state. His teeth flashed blindingly with huge smiles, and he pumped his fist into the air, dancing on one foot to the other. Every so often he would holler out into the silence.

Chouji was back to his round chubby self. He was flat on his back, his cheeks tinted in pink as he gazed up into the ceiling, almost… hungrily.

Shikamaru himself had fallen asleep. He was face down on the floor with one arm propped under his chin like a pillow. The other hand was in his spiky hair, unconsciously playing with the band.

Hinata's hands fell to her sides. Her cloak cloth clenched in one fist, wrapping it around her.

Gen jutsu. Check.

The silence. It had stretched on for too long. It was a numbing, uncomfortable silence. As if a thick layer of ice had enveloped the population of the village sitting up there.

The sleeping Nara suddenly let out a tremendous snore.

Slowly a crack appeared through the ice, and gradually, murmuring chained across the crowd. Small out casted claps. A shrill whistle.

It increased, growing louder and louder. Eventually it became a full out ovation, everyone standing in their seats. Hugging each other. Laughing. Screaming. One of the most amazing battles in Konoha, one that would make their history, had just taken place.

The crowd was pleased with the results, to say the least.

The judges and Naruto's shocked plastered faces had yet to determine a real sign or disapproval or acceptance.

It takes strategy to create a display as the one Hinata gave. She wasn't battling, she was _performing._

Check mate.

* * *

Naruto, having regained himself, ushered Hinata and the judges over to his office in the Hokage Tower.

Nobody was sitting however, the judges too cramped from sitting still all through the exam, and Hinata simply because of… pride.

All the while, the blonde leader's mouth was running full steam ahead. Hinata's irritation meter went up a few degrees, if not already exceeded.

"That was the best battle ever…"

"I can't believe the way you put that genjutsu over those people. That was genius! It even affected everyone in the arena, making it seem _real_…"

"Did you see Sasuke-teme's condition? HAH. Beaten by a girl. No offence…" Naruto cowered as Kurenei put her hands on her hips.

"How did you do that needle technique? It was similar to a Mist ninja I met before. Have you ever acquainted with someone named Haku…"

_Slam!_

Kakashi had closed his orange book and slammed it over the Hokage's head. He shook his masked face. Naruto had yet to outgrow his childish antics.

The silver haired nin turned his head to the young cloaked girl in the room. He had to admit, she was incredible. With the fact that she probably hadn't shown half her techniques, he had a feeling she was holding back the whole time.

Like a true ninja.

Never show your true potential. And the techniques she did reveal, however, were well planned and placed. Strong enough to show her power, but limited enough to not actually kill any of the other ninja and get her labeled as a threat.

Kakashi would give an arm and leg, perhaps even his mask, to see her in real action. Yet, if this was her holding back, the prospect of her in real combat sent chills down his back.

* * *

Hinata silently watched, well aware of the assumptions being passed by Kakashi and the others. Holding back a sigh of relief when Naruto decided to calm down, she bowed in respect.

It would aid her if she had made a fine first impression.

"You were excellent, Hinata-san, in battle. Of course, I can't judge this myself. We'll now see your results."

Hinata nodded her head for the praise and patiently watched as the first judge stepped forward. It was the intimidating man she had met before, Gai, Rock Lee's sensei.

Hinata was not at all anxious or nervous, for she knew she would pass. If she didn't get a high rank, she'd work to get promoted. After all, the Akatsuki exam, the mission, was more important than these _games_.

"What a YOUTHFUL performance, and must I say you are like a BLOSSOM in our new village BLOOMING your wonderful aroma in taijutsu. You are EXTREMELY AND SUPERDENTIALLY advanced and might even be a worthy rival for my YOUTHFUL student Rock LEEEE, and thus, I pass you with GREEN colors. YOSH!"

Hinata twitched under her hood at his load boasting voice while everyone else did a simultaneous sweat drop. Just as Gai was about to envelop her in a bear hug, he was pushed away by the judge she had read on the nameplate, Sarutobi Asuma.

His cigarette had long since died, yet remained in his mouth as a charred black stick, creating a muffled accent.

"Strategy was well defined; she showed how carefully her plans were set up throughout the couse of her battles. She was one step ahead the entire time. No guesses. A fine example when she went against my own student, Shikamaru. He has an IQ of 200, if she can out-strategise him…" He trailed off as he let out a hacking cough.

The dark haired woman with crimson eyes stepped up this time, casting a look to Asuma before moving. Her deep feminine voice was crisp.

"You showed great gen jutsu techniques throughout the battle. Not only did you manage to escape Sasuke's Sharingan, you also secretly casted it on the entire arena and held it till the very end of the performance. Even I didn't notice it. Your understanding and skill in casting and escaping gen is remarkable."

Kakashi was absorbed in his book, the very same he hit Naruto with, and had been captivated by all through the results. It was his turn, and still his nose had yet to emerge out of the pages.

"Kakashi-sensei…"

Naruto's eyebrow twitched.

"KAKASHI-SENSEI…"

His face was turning red.

"DAMN IT KAKASHI, PAY ATTENTION, OR I'M DOCKING YOUR PAY!!!"

This time, the Copy Ninja lazily looked up. He couldn't afford to have his pay deducted. How would he buy his wonderful Ichi Ichi books? _Damn Naruto for becoming Hokage…_

He raised his hand and droned, "Pass."

Then he dove back into the book.

Naruto glared at the silver haired ninja before letting out a sigh. Immediately his smile returned in full force and boasted,

"And I, Hokage Uzumaki Naruto, was your fifth and _secret _judge! I judged you on teamwork. Mind you, you didn't really work with your team or keep contact, but you also didn't need help till MUCH later on in the battle. You show potential to handle yourself, and you can also work with others with no arguments. Okay, maybe it was rough with Sasuke-teme, but I don't get along with the bastard either. Best of all, you know when to give up when your limits are reached, and you're not afraid to. YOU PASS!"

Hinata was taken aback. She was graded on teamwork? Her mask did not crumble a bit, and she bowed, muttering "Arigato".

After throwing a suspicious sleeping cap that he found under his table at Kakashi, Naruto leaned back in his chair. "Now all we have to do is decide your position in the shinobi…"

_**A weapon's technique is a key to its performance, for it has to look good as it sweeps down towards the neck of its next victim…**_


	13. Chapter 11

A pale hand ran through a messy head of raven hair. Dark circles bruised the underlines of his drooping eyes as the Uchiha tugged yet another book towards himself.

His chakra was gone, and his strength to stay awake was fading rapidly. Right after the exam, instead of following the dobe's suggestion to get some rest, he had fled the arena and headed straight towards the library. With every breath he took, his chest hurt.

In his scramble to leave, Sasuke didn't even visit the hospital to get treatment for his broken ribs, aching under a wrinkled shirt he had changed at a last minute thought so he didn't startle the librarian by being covered in blood.

Every inch of the library table he had claimed in the corner was stacked with heavy books. If one looked close enough, they would be able to tell that the weakly bound, yellow leafed books were all related to the Mist.

Every now and then, Sasuke would mark a page by turning the corner, his eyes slowly skimming between the lines.

_There had to be something. Anything._

The pages made crumpled sighs as they turned, and his breathing was getting slower as his mind fell half fell asleep. But despite this, he read on.

Ever since that Hinata said the name of the one person he wanted dead, the part of the Uchiha's mind that's ambition was to avenge his clan went insane. Before, he simply needed information on her because of his auspiciousness and mere curiosity.

Now he _needed _it.

The fact that she might have a connection to his brother, that he was right about her being not just any stranger, not a coincidence to end up in Konoha of all villages…

Sasuke's elbows, originally propping him up, were now weakening as the boy's weight sank into sleep. No, there was no time to res-

His bangs fell over his closing eyes as his forehead leaned against his folded, muscled arms, face planted in an open book.

* * *

The washed white walls of the hospital room looked gray as the shades were drawn over the window a figure had been previously staring out of.

The figure didn't turn around, simply gazing at the beige curtains, the faint humming of machines in the background.

"What should we do about her?"

The deep voice behind him rang in the room, overpowering the IV.

What were they to do?

They couldn't kick her out… this was too good of an opportunity to pass. He was well aware of who the object of their dilemma really was, the orange book in the hands of the figure behind him confirming it.

Yes, they would have to let her stay. They would play along with the Akatsuki's ploy.

Maybe the secrets of the underground organization would be revealed in the process, and the plan would fail, and everything would get better.

He was always the optimistic type.

"We do nothing. Let her stay, and let her carry on her mission. In the end, we might be able to influence her, we might be able to get a hold over _them_. In the end, it'll be determined by _her_ who will be standing."

The figure behind him stirred, revealing his surprise at the well thought out answer. _Maybe he did grow up after all…_

Finally, after that last statement, he turned away from the closed window and headed out the door, his companion trailing his footsteps.

He didn't reveal his real reason for letting her stay, to give a certain avenger to his shot at a certain Akatsuki.

And for a little girl to reunite with her village after eleven years.

A Konoha villager would always be a Konoha villager. No matter what. That was what he believed, that was his ninja way of loyalty.

As he walked out of the door, too absorbed in his thoughts, he failed to notice a thin folded sheet flutter from a pocket of his robes, landing just inside as the door clicked shut.

Both of them, despite being skilled shinobi, failed to realise that the occupant of the hospital room had regained consciousness and was now currently swinging his legs quietly off the bed, making his way to the door.

The patient gently picked up the paper, unfolding it, only to drop it once again with a horrified gasp.

The sheet was a copy from a Bingo Book, and the title read S-Class Criminals.

In the center was the photo of a six year old fair girl, dark bangs falling into her eyes. Eyes too cold and emotionless for a six year old. Eyes just like his own.

_Hinata-sama…_

* * *

Hinata sat on her low bed, the soles of her boots flat on the carpet. She looked down at her lap, in which her slender ivory fingers traced a porcelain feline mask.

The mask was covered in dark, blood-red markings, and had net inside to serve as almost invisible eye holes.

Her fingers traced the triangle markings over and over again, memorizing them lazily. At least she wouldn't have to worry with her hood as much anymore…

But she would wear the cape never-the-less. It was her marking, her sheath, that bound her to the Akatsuki.

Tucking the mask into her pillow case, Hinata lay down on her back, kicking off her boots. Then she stared at the ceiling, more exhausted than sleepy.

She was finally a villager. Once again.

* * *

_It was too dark. Too light. What was it?_

_He was chained by invisible bounds, or maybe he was paralyzed. Maybe he forgot to move. Maybe…_

_Sasuke saw himself… or did he? Was that little boy even him? Was he ever so innocent? So human? Was he even in existence…_

_Or was he simply watching? Watching from both afar and close by, like a shadow. But at least shadows had a being attached to them._

_Sasuke had nobody._

_The world twisted in colours. Now it was too light and too dark. No longer too dark and too light._

_There was a man, a familiar man. Years just older than himself. Wearing an absurd cloak with a high collar._

_Blazing crimson eyes broke through the colours._

_He saw bodies, corpses._

_Stiff, cold, like leather dolls, lifeless. _

_Sasuke watched, helpless, as the little boy who was supposed to be himself reached towards one, only to disappear right before he could touch it._

_Again, he reached out. Again, it disappeared. The most horrible, sick, gross, stomach-turning part was…_

_He couldn't see the faces._

_They were faceless. As if somebody had shaved them off with an eraser._

_He only saw the face of the man he had to kill. Not the ones that were killed. Not the ones he was going to avenge._

_Colors jumbled. Too dark. Too light._

_Itachi stood there, in reaching distance yet still too far to reach. Another unfamiliar face melded with Itachi's…_

_A cloaked face._

"_Itachi-sensei…"_

Sasuke awoke with a start, his pale cheeks imprinted with small pink that looked suspiciously like the writing in the book he had been sleeping on.

What was that? Was it really a dream, a nightmare?

Was it his imagination? Was it saying something?

Sasuke shook his head. Why was he so confused? Ever since that transfer came…

His mind was torn.

She was too confusing, brought up too many questions, too many memories. It made him _need_ to find out who she was, for reasons unknown.

A girl should not be in his mind.

He was supposed to be an Uchiha, boastful and proud. Nobody mattered but himself, and his goals. He was an avenger.

This girl would pay for making him think about her, distracting him…

Sasuke had unconsciously skimmed the page before him as he was lost in his thoughts. Before he could complete his inner mind struggle, he came upon a curious passage.

The Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

Bingo.

* * *

Sasuke, confidence fully returned, had a fresh new batch of books.

He read, or rather, absorbed. His suspicions were making more sense.

_Kirigakure, Hidden Village of the Mist. It is a village known in training devices that involves a graduation where the genin must kill in order to initiate themselves._

Sasuke looked up for a second, his hand clenched. Killing innocent people… if Hinata was really from the Mist… Yet, there was a chance that she wasn't.

He released his balled fist and continued reading.

_The seven greatest ninja in the village…_

The list was long, as ninjas died and were replaced. But, as he skimmed down the list, he could not find anyone's name remotely similar to Hinata Ikustaka. How could that be? If she held enough power like this, she would surely be recruited a member of the group.

The Mist, like any other village, would not hold off boasting about their skilled ninja.

Especially with her skills with the sword, they seemed to be her specialty. But, she wasn't part of the group, meaning that she could not have been a ninja of the Mist…

He reread the list again, a tiny miniscule part hoping that she was part of the list. That she wasn't lying…

Two names stood out.

_Momochi Zabuza. _

_Kisame Hoshigaki._

Zabuza, he had already met first-hand, and his blade style was rougher than Hinata's, more concentrated in power than speed as she was.

Kisame was part of the Akatsuki. She could not be associated with him.

But, somehow she knew Itachi.

It could be… no. Not possible.

But she had to have known some Mist ninja, her skills with the sword proved it.

Mist was a village that was known for swordsmanship. As Suna was known for puppets and fans. And so on.

Overall, Sasuke was more confident that Hinata was lying about her identity. It was definite. But the question remained: Why?

Now that he knew that one of his many suspicions were confirmed, Sasuke could concentrate on comparing her to other places. It seemed that the more he learned about her, the more questions sprung up.

And he would have to answer them himself, for what kind of Uchiha was he if he couldn't?

_**A weapon could easily become a part of an identity, easily become its individual identity.**_


	14. Chapter 12

Hinata let out a slow sigh as she pushed open the large white wooden doors of the hospital entrance.

Her newest '_mission_' involved treating some brats at the nursery wing.

Supposedly, her mission partner was already down there, but Hinata, despite this, didn't feel like being punctual for a sad excuse of an assignment.

It had been three weeks. Three weeks since she became an official shinobi in this village, and yet she was hardly treated as well as a genin.

Despite her high rank, all she was handed were scrolls of low-class missions. Boring errands, irritable charity work, and the one that made her twitch in disgust… ramen deliveries for Hokage.

But, the one thing that stood out the most, was the fact that all of her missions were carried out inside the village. There weren't even errands to neighboring settlements.

It seemed that she had yet to be trusted, for the Hokage was determined to keep her inside the Konoha gates.

Of course, she could sneak out anytime she felt like it. But, that would make her even more suspicious than of what she already was.

Hinata needed to win over the Hokage's trust in order for her mission to succeed, and to do so, she would first have to prove herself loyal.

Lost in her thoughts, Hinata barely had the sense to step out of the way when she sensed a figure behind her stumbling. It resulted to the said figure crashing to the ground.

As he fell on his back, Hinata looked down to see the face of her mission partner. His eyes were slightly widened as if he were startled out of his own thoughts, but other than that, his face was ice framed by soft, black bangs.

She held out her gloved hand, but the Uchiha's hurt pride merely grunted, and he pushed himself up. Hinata withdrew her hand, and they both walked side by side, each disgruntled, but for different reasons.

* * *

_GYAHHH!_

_WAHHHH!_

_NAWWWW!_

Sasuke could feel dark chakra surround him as he stood back to back with his partner in the room filled with infants.

_Babies._

This was absurd; Naruto couldn't have chosen a more troublesome mission.

Sasuke inwardly smirked, he had to stop hanging out with Shikamaru.

But in truth which would make the fangirl population grow even bigger, if possible, Sasuke loved kids.

His cold demeanor was hard to raise in front of those innocent minds. Sure, he felt envy towards the ones who grew up so happily, but it was more the reason to make sure no kid grew in the same life as his.

And, then there was also the fact that he wanted to restore his clan.

Sasuke lifted a particularly loud rosy cheeked infant out of a crib and began patting him on the back, rocking on his heels as he did so. It only took a few seconds for the baby's wails to reduce into a tiny gurgling, much to his satisfaction.

Even if the mission was lame and a waste of time and energy for a shinobi like himself, Sasuke knew that the dobe was aware of his affection to kids. They were former teammates after all.

So, it was normal for the Uchiha to work in the hospital from time to time, but of course he never went on his own free will, to save his pride. Naruto took pity on him by assigning him missions here from time-to-time.

_WAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!_

Sasuke jumped as the loudest wail yet bounced off the walls, and he spun around to see his cloaked mission partner awkwardly holding a bawling baby girl.

Hinata's arms were stretched out, so that the baby was dangling a foot away from herself. Her grip on the infant was firm under the arms, but loose enough to make it seem like she was unsure of how to hold her.

Sasuke chuckled softly under his breath. It seemed that she wasn't a master at _everything_. He shook his head, his bangs swaying, and a small smile twitched over his lips.

Sasuke walked over to her and gently plucked the baby into his own arms. Securely holding the now quiet child against his chest, his smile was still on his face as he turned towards the cloaked girl.

* * *

"It seems you're having a bit of trouble, now…" Sasuke's tone wasn't mocking, but it still put a dent into her pride.

She glowered under her hood at the loud baby; she always had hated loud noises. But, even if she didn't admit it herself or even reveal it, Hinata was uneasy about holding the child for a totally different reason.

The only time she had ever been close to a child was when she was going to kill one. It didn't matter that they were innocent beings, a mission was a mission.

But now, facing a child to comfort and not kill… Hinata felt a reluctant pang drop in her stomach.

Under her hood, her glare softened as she saw how easily he held the baby. The infant, when she was quiet, was almost tolerable. Maybe even… what was that word? _Cute_? She really didn't know, never having used that word before.

Then she raised her gaze to Sasuke's face, and she saw that the ice had also melted into a softer expression. The corners of his mouth were lifted. He was _smiling_.

Smiles were weaknesses. But, why did something in her flutter at the sight? The feeling was almost pleasant.

How could a weakness be appealing?

Of course, it could not have been Sasuke himself.

It wasn't as if his muscular build but still lean figure made her eyes travel. Nor was it his hair, which looked silky enough to make her long to run her fingers through it. And certainly she didn't try to avoid drowning in his deep, onyx eyes.

Finally, he absolutely did not look like Itachi. No resemblance at all.

Hinata forced her mind to shake off the memory when she first met Sasuke and thought he looked like her sensei.

Clearly, denial could deceive most thoughts.

Yes, the smile was just a curious weakness. That is what made her observe the boy as such. Maybe made her absorb him a bit more.

Just his apparent weaknesses.

* * *

Sasuke bounced the baby gently as he explained to his partner about how to hold the baby. Her expression was hidden under her cloak, but Sasuke noticed that her shoulders were slightly tense, as if she was distracted.

He sighed, it was apparent that she wasn't in the mood to listen to anything he was to say.

He would have to jump straight to _that_ part.

He moved closer to Hinata and pushed the baby towards her, amused at her recoil. Her hands were up, silently yet obviously stating that she didn't want to hold the baby.

Sasuke just shook his head and stifled another chuckle. What was wrong with him today?

Balancing the baby's light weight on his hip, he stretched his arm out to touch her thin one, only for her to instinctively jerk it away at the contact.

He moved closer, and gradually she gave in, accepting his help of positioning her arms. Sasuke had to try his best not to get distracted by her smooth yet firm skin. It was clear that she was a weapon wielder, yet she was so strangely soft.

Mentally slapping himself, Sasuke wondered why he was letting such strange reactions come out today.

It must be the kids. They were too innocent for their own good. The little children were affecting his personality, that was it. They were putting him in a better mood.

He found he needed a lot more convincing than usual.

As he raised her elbow up and tugged her palm flat, Sasuke lowered the yawning infant into the half bandaged arms of the kunoichi.

* * *

Hinata couldn't help but notice how light the child was. She could easily break the little thing like a twig. A basic kunai was probably heavier than the girl in her arms.

Said child let out a little grumble and reached her extremely tiny chubby arms towards Hinata's chest. By unfamiliar instinct, Hinata pulled her closer, embracing her just as she had observed Sasuke had done.

Right above the spot of her quickly beating heart, the child snuggled her head into the smooth fabric of her battle suit while her tiny fists played with the elder's cloak.

For a few seconds, Hinata felt herself stop breathing, afraid of this sudden intimacy.

Then, slowly measuring the weight, she raised a palm to the back of the child's head, fingers brushing through the thick short curls. She could feel the child's warm steady breaths on her wrist, and her tense shoulders relaxed, no longer afraid of dropping the baby.

* * *

He watched silently as Hinata stroked the baby's fragile head, and turned away when he felt another smile tug at his lips.

From what he could tell, this was her first encounter with a child like this, and she seemed almost… _happy_. The most contentment he had seen with her, ever since she had arrived.

Although she never changed her expression or made any body language to indicate such an emotion, Sasuke knew this because he could somehow feel it.

Before he could stop himself, one last thought went through his head before he went to calm down the other children.

_She'll make a great mother someday._

* * *

With their best glares on, the two entered the Hokage's office to see the blond doodling ramen bowls on a few important looking documents.

Hinata's eyes didn't need to be uncovered to make it apparent she was glaring daggers.

Sasuke had a scowl placed on his ivory skin, making it seem darker. His bangs fell over his dark eyes, shadowing them menacingly.

Naruto couldn't help but gulp, and he suddenly realised, that might have been his last.

He didn't need to ask them the reason for their moods. It was clear that they were angry for the disappointing mission.

He suddenly couldn't help but snicker as a rare idea formed in his usually dense blond head.

Clearing his throat and flipping through the pages filled with his doodles, Naruto put on his best Hokage face.

"I see that the mission was successful."

The glares deepened and Naruto could feel a sweat forming on the back of his neck.

"This next mission… is A-Rank."

Immediately the glares dissolved to be replaced with curiosity, and Naruto did a victory dance inside his head.

"First of all, before any details, do you both accept?"

* * *

Hinata was tired of these low ranking missions when she was more used to the precarious ways of the Akatsuki.

Finally she had her chance to gain the trust she needed to carry on in this '_exam_'.

* * *

At the swift, almost eager, nods of the pair, Naruto gave a small smirk.

"Your assignment is…"

It was hilarious how their reactions could be so similar.

"…attend the huge 'Welcome' party!"

Instinctively Naruto flinched as the glares returned ten-fold, and a killing aura raised from the two.

But what was done was done. They both had accepted.

Now if he could only figure out a way to get out of this alive…

**_A weapon starts out as soft, smooth melted metal, waiting to be molded into a blade._**


	15. Chapter 13

Hinata was composed, steel, sangfroid.

Her insides however, contrasted and squirmed disgustingly.

Inside, she was fuming. She felt her hands clutching, and her nails imprinting deeply into her gloves.

But the strongest she felt, was laughing out horribly at the ludicrous mission.

A _party_?

She had never been to one before, only having learned what they were from her undercover missions.

Though, she didn't see why shinobi even entered such loud, open places where people drank sick smelling liquid that tainted their minds into a mess of gibbering fools, leaving them exposed and helpless to an enemy attack.

Then again, Hinata was not like other people.

In fact, she was different as could be.

So, as she realised her panic was foolish, gradually her glare softened to a stone stare. Her insides were swept into a mass of nothingness.

She had regained a hold on her emotions.

And in her composed state, Hinata paid no reaction to the mass of chakra that burst through the door, making the other two occupants of the office jump.

"PARRRRTY!"

* * *

"Hokage-sama, my mission is to attend this occasion. In no part of your given assignment had you mentioned anything about… 'mission partners.'"

Hinata was leaning against the wall in a dark corner, watching as the three girls and Uchiha happily argued. Well, not so much on the raven haired boy's part, as he only seemed to hold an occasional 'Hn.' Or 'Tch.' in his oh so varied vocabulary.

With a frown set in place, Hinata straightened up and approached the huddled group. Her keen ears hadn't missed any part of the conversation, or argument, despite the dullness that made her want to go back into her thoughts.

But a mission was a mission, even as ridiculous as it was. Her pride and the Akatsuki forced her to complete it.

At first, the plans were all normal. Attend, and then leave. It was just the part of the 'outfit' and 'escort' that had made the cloaked girl intervene.

"I am perfectly comfortable to proceed in this mission as I am right now. There is no need for any change in appearance. It is not as if this task is an undercover assignment."

Naruto let out a deep sigh; it seemed as if he had to pull out some cards on this.

"Hinata-san, I respect your privacy and all but really…" Naruto's 'Hokage' picture dropped as he reverted back to the young bubbly blonde he really was. "Pleease, will you try to cooperate? Even for _meee_?"

The frown of the cloaked girl deepened. Naruto returned it; he had to play all of his cards now.

"Okay, how about this. If you cooperate _fully _with the party, I'll give you a real mission. A real A-Rank, and… in Suna."

_This party… it will prove my loyalty. It will finally give me the trust needed to be a real ninja of Konoha, inside and out of the village. I need this._

Hinata gave a swift response, and that nod was all Naruto needed to continue.

"Now, as I was saying…" Naruto watched from the corner of his eye as a satisfied kunoichi returned to her corner. He knew she was listening, however.

"Sakura, Ino, Tenten…" The three kunoichi practically bounced in their chairs in excitement. They were girls after all, what sane female didn't love a decent party?

"You three will help Hinata with her clothes. I doubt she has anything other than her battle outfits."

Hinata only shrugged in response, it was true.

However, she decided she did not like the gleams in the eyes of the other girls. Pushing down a shiver that was about to run over her spine, Hinata pulled her hood lower.

Naruto grinned widely as he turned to his raven friend. "And Sasuke-teme…"

The horrid glare returned, but Naruto was already waving it off.

"You will be Hinata's right-hand mission partner on this assignment. In other words… you're her _date_."

Angry crimson eyes met the dancing blue ones.

* * *

In the corner, Hinata could really care less.

What was the big deal about an alternative word for mission partner? It was strange, nonetheless.

Hinata had never heard the word _date _used on her Akatsuki assignments.

* * *

Sasuke was pissed. And he knew the dobe was well aware of it.

He was forced to not only attend a party, but he also had to be the party's main object's guest.

_Hinata._

At least, this way, he would probably be able to gather more information.

If he really thought about it, Hinata wasn't that bad. In the hospital, he believed they had gotten along pretty well.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad…

No. All girls are bad. Especially ones who make you look like bakas and beat you in battle. Especially ones that invaded his thoughts.

With that confirmed in his mind, Sasuke returned to glaring down his poor Hokage.

* * *

Hinata ducked as another batch of clothes flew over her. The small shop was a mess of colors ranging from orange to pink to blue to purple.

It was disgustingly bright.

And it didn't help with the fact that each girl who was assigned to pick out her mission outfit had different tastes.

Ino wanted her to don anything with a skirt and floral printed. Sakura was holding every shade of pink possible in both her hands. Tenten was holding up tight fitting t-shirts and Capri's.

None of the three styles caught the cloaked girl's attention.

Hinata couldn't understand what was so wrong with her regular outfit, but knew she would have to comply. At least, whatever the outcome was of new clothes, she would only have to wear it once.

In truth, she could care less. This was a waste of time.

And so the bored girl allowed herself to be dragged in and out of changing stalls. However, all she did was hold the offered fabric against her, never actually changing into any of it.

Just because she didn't care, didn't mean she would give up her pride.

The tornado of designs went on for over a few hours, and Hinata was keeping track of the time with her frequent and growing desperate glances out the store window.

Finally, the manager mustered up the courage to approach the insane kunochi.

The trio didn't waste any time to attack.

Flustered, the manager dusted himself off and finally managed to calm them down. Hinata turned away from the window and the man looked her up and down and smiled.

"I know just the thing for her."

The three jumpy girls and a bored Hinata trailed after him through a door that was marked, "West Side"

Curiously, Hinata looked up to see a rotating ball of lights touching the far walls in different shades of color. The clothes were hidden behind large dark curtains.

"This is our newest line of clothing, we have yet to release them. But in your case, and at Hokage-sama's personal request, I'll make an exception."

They had reached a heavy metal cabinet, the handles smooth and dull. As the man opened them, the girls seemed to act as if sunshine was radiating through it. Hinata's frown was masked in the darkness of the room.

She had to wear _that_?

* * *

Sasuke looked out of his room window as he saw the misty fogs cover up whatever little moon was peeking out from behind dark clouds.

He pulled on a form fitting black shirt with extremely long sleeves that went to the half of his palm. Over it, he wore a sleeveless gray hoodie, and he stepped into his old black skinny jeans.

Running a hand through his dark spiky hair, Sasuke didn't bother looking at the mirror and stuffed his hands into his pockets, walking outside into a cool night breeze

Naruto had threatened him to dress up for this party, or Sasuke would find himself wearing one of those kimonos that the Hyuga took fancy in. However, the baka never specified what to dress up in.

Sasuke hated kimonos, it made him look like he was part of a clan, and even if he was officially an Uchiha, his clan was no more.

Sasuke sighed deeply into the silent night; he had to relax. This was a party. Better make the best of it. Or more like, better drown these damn mood swings in sake.

As Sasuke approached the entrance of the bright hotel the party was taking place in, and a fancily dressed guard opened the door for him. With an eyebrow raised, Sasuke walked in, feeling slightly out of place in his dress.

Not that he cared.

Approaching the room that was clearly and proudly marked "HOKAGE'S VIP" that was probably sharpied by the now wealthy hotel owner. Sasuke walked in and felt like walking right back out.

It was extremely noisy. There seemed to be five different songs all playing at once, jumbling up the words to decibels greater than what his poor, abused eardrums could take.

Naruto, in a bright orange tux, was dancing wildly in the middle of the room accompanied by Gai and Lee. Certainly not a sight for sore eyes.

He scanned the room, avoiding the eyes of Sakura and Ino, who were dancing together, much to the pleasure of cat calling chunin watching them from their table.

The Jounin sensei were separated in tiny groups among tables, consumed in their private conversations, save for Kakashi who had his nose buried in the ever so familiar orange book.

Surprisingly, even Neji was sitting across from Kakashi and… talking to himself? Looking closer, Sasuke could make out the tiny movements of his sensei's mask, revealing that they were also conversing.

What could that be about? The Hyuga and Kakashi never were on such close terms. And it was rare to see his sensei so _serious_.

To the far end of the absurdly large room was a bar with a couple of more tables.

At one of the tables sat Shino and Kiba, along with the giant Akamaru who was sleeping soundly despite all the noise. Kiba absentmindedly was stroking his dog's scraggly fur while Shino amused himself by watching a bug crawl over his finger. They seemed bored.

At the bar, Sasuke saw his pineapple-haired friend, and he made his way through the room safely; relieved that for once that Ino and Sakura were too occupied in their fun to notice his arrival.

As Sasuke sat himself beside Shikamaru, he noticed that Chouji was also there, a stack of plates growing taller as the large boy took advantage of all-you-can-eat. He hoped the Dobe wasn't going to make their village go bankrupt over this party; this was sure to come out of everyone's salaries.

Shikamaru himself had his chin resting in his palm; his eyes were lidded with boredom.

When Sasuke tapped him on the shoulder, the lazy ninja glanced at him, and they exchanged smirks of greeting. The raven haired boy was about to signal the bartender for a sake when the music stopped and everyone turned their attention towards the newcomer.

Sasuke's breath caught in his throat for a split second before he regained his indifferent composure.

There stood Hinata, only she looked _different_.

Sakura, Ino, and Tenten had their arms crossed over their chests in pride while the males in room gaped. Even Shikamaru widened his eyes, his attention fully captured.

Her feet adorned knee high shiny black boots, showing off her long toned pale legs. The hem of her dark dress reached mid thigh and it was strapless, showing off white shoulders. Ivory arms were no longer covered in bandages, and the dress was snug around her waist, revealing a curved figure.

Without the cape to cover her head, her sheet white face was flawless, and the skin seemed to glow in the dim chandeliers. Her petite nose and soft cheekbones were lightly flushed from all the attention. Resting on her nose was a pair of large yet stylish shades, tinted and reflecting the bright lights of the room.

Her dark locks were prominently a dark shade of indigo, falling freely upon her shoulders, yet still having a casual messiness to it. The way her long, spiky bangs framed her face added a smidge of innocence to her mysterious look.

Sasuke had never seen this kind of clothing in Konoha, but a deep part inside him agreed that she looked good in it. Sighing, he decided to play his part of the mission and pushed himself out of his seat, leaving the awe struck Shikamaru sharing the expression of every other man in the room.

Approaching her, he held out a hand. After all, Sasuke smirked as he saw the looks on the faces of the other guests, she was his date for tonight.

* * *

Hinata was uncomfortable with this tight, revealing piece of fabric. At least she had on sunglasses to shadow her eyes.

The faces of the people around the room made her coloured lips curve down in a frown, not realising that it would look like a pout.

Why were they staring at her like that? Almost, hungrily.

Mentally shrugging it off, Hinata cautiously placed her small hand in Sasuke's, not really approving of the human contact but giving in for the sake of their mission, only to be dragged forward as he immediately made his way to the bar.

Realising that Hinata was no longer at the entrance, the music was turned back on, and everyone went back to their own business.

Seating herself next to the Uchiha, Hinata nodded a greeting at the surprisingly alert Nara, slightly amused at the shade of red that spread over his tan cheeks.

Turning away from the embarrassed ninja, Hinata grimaced as the blaring music tore down her ear drums. Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed that Sasuke wore a similar look, and she immediately painted a passive look onto her pale face, refusing to stoop so low as to look the same as him.

Absentmindedly, she heard Sasuke mumble under his breath to the bartender, before he turned to converse with Shikamaru.

"Hinata-san?"

Hinata turned to see the blonde Hokage who assigned herself to this useless mission. Bowing her head in greeting, she didn't stop the frown at the sight of him.

Naruto sighed to himself. He knew she was angry about being at this party.

"You look lovely…"

"Thank your kunochi for that." Hinata cut him off curtly.

Exasperated, Naruto just smiled as widely as he could before happily saying,"Look Hinata-san, this party is for you, believe it! You should enjoy yourself! Now by the order of the Hokage, I command you to dance with me!"

Naruto was, after all, one of the many men in the room who thought she indeed looked pretty tonight.

* * *

"SASUKE-KUUUUN!"

Sasuke slammed his head on the wooden counter of the bar, the pair of fan girls had finally realised that he was at the party. He was so stupid, bringing all the attention to himself by walking to Hinata when she arrived.

What was taking the sake so damn long?

* * *

Hinata was still as Naruto dragged her to the middle of the dance floor, and he began moving wildly.

She watched with an eyebrow raised. This spazz was supposed to be dancing?

Hinata looked around her, watching the flowing movements as the ninja on the dance floor all moved to the loud music. She had never danced before.

Looking down at their feet, Hinata realised that dancing was similar to taijutsu.

Slowly, Hinata moved her feet, as if going in battle stance, back and forth. She raised her arm, swaying them as if punching the air lightly. Gradually, her hips started rocking, and she got the hang of it.

All Hinata had to do was sweep through the different battle stances, as if she was battling the music.

* * *

Sasuke looked up as the two girls let go of his arms. Their attention was directed elsewhere.

Naruto had stopped dancing as he, too watched his partner. Hinata was unaware of the attention that was directed at her.

Her movements were as fluid as water, her feet bending and straightening. Her body moved almost seductively, and her hair swung around her face in a dark halo. She was swift yet seemed to be in slow motion. Her movements were never repeated, like ripples growing larger as she flowed on with astonishing grace.

The raven haired boy didn't notice when he walked towards the girl, nor did he notice as Naruto backed away, allowing him to accompany her.

He wasn't thinking when he wrapped his arms around her waist, and neither was she as both were absorbed in their dancing.

* * *

The couple danced as if they were fighting, only with much more meaning. They were pressed against each other, her back to his chest.

Hinata swung out, and Sasuke lowered her by the small of her back, before they swung back into position, only this time they were both facing each other. Hinata's eyes were closed, as she fought the invisible opponent.

Her hands trailed up the arms of the enemy, the strong muscles under her arms. She leaned forward are she wrapped her own arms around the neck, as if gently choking. The pulse under her fingers was calm, and the firm body was warm, pressed against hers.

They both had no idea what they were doing. They felt no passion, nothing at all.

They just danced with pure instinct, danced until they opened their eyes to applause.

* * *

The dark haired pair both realised fully what had occurred as they widened their eyes, Hinata's shock hidden under glasses while Sasuke's shaded under bangs.

Emotionless masks replaced, they both walked to the bar, sitting back down in their individual seats. They didn't even move until a glass of sake was placed in front of both of them.

Hinata looked down at the clear liquid, the dancing episode forgotten as a new dilemma approached. Should she drink the sake?

If she didn't, she would be left out. Looking around, she saw that everyone who wasn't dancing had sake in front of them. Being with the Hokage got rid of the underage rules.

The consequences of not drinking the sake would make herself stand out, a weakness. But, if she did drink the sake, she couldn't predict what would happen. Hinata was forbidden to touch it in the Akatsuki.

From what she had seen from other people drinking, the outcomes of it weren't smart. In fact, it turned adults into children.

Hinata fingered the cup until she heard a small thud next to her.

Sasuke had finished his sake in one shot, the empty glass waiting to be refilled as he signaled the bartender once more. He gave a knowing look at the girl next to him, and Hinata's impassive face leaked out a grimace.

He was challenging her.

She never backed down from a challenge.

Hinata lifted the cup and held her breath as she poured the disgusting liquid down her throat. It stung horribly and left a bitter taste in her mouth. The pain uplifted to the point where her eyes, safely behind tinted glasses, blurred with water.

Hinata, nevertheless, forced herself to come out of the tense state, and the tears weren't given a chance to escape.

Another glass appeared in front of her.

Sasuke and herself both lifted their second cups at the same time and drank it down, neither wanting to lose.

The night passed on, and the dancers on the floor rotated each time between chatting and moving and drinking sake. The dark haired pair, however, remained firmly at the bar.

The bartender was glued in front of them, refilling cup after cup of the many they rapidly consumed.

Hinata forgot which this was… the seventh? Twenty-first? Hundredth?

The bitter taste had long since evaporated into nothingness, as if it were dry water.

The effects of the sake was taking over as Hinata's sane mind was stowed away, and she lost all sense of being, of her mask, of who she was. All she knew was what her body was doing.

Her eyes were half lidded and her posture was slumped.

Sasuke was no better off, despite having more experience. His bangs clung to his face from perspiration. It was getting warm in here.

Their being was completely lost. Their stone was crumbling.

Sasuke had no sense as he pulled Hinata towards him, wrapping his arm around her small waist.

Hinata had no more grace as they both stumbled off towards the registration counter.

Sasuke didn't know what possessed him as he signed his name on the contract. Hinata's pride didn't matter as they both stumbled after the escort to the room.

Luckily it was on the first floor, so they didn't lose their dignity, or whatever was left of it, from tripping.

Both ninjas had tore down their guards, and thus, they didn't notice the person following them.

* * *

The hotel guide opened the door for them before walking away, leaving the key card in the lock. Sasuke didn't bother taking it out as he flung in, Hinata half clinging to his body.

It was pitch-black, and they both stumbled over each other's feet, falling onto the cushion of the large bed.

Hinata slammed her back onto the soft covers and Sasuke hovered over her, his breath warm on her sweaty face.

Hinata used her position to tug his hoodie over his head, running her hands blindly over his muscled chest, only covered by his shirt. Sasuke himself ran his hands down the lengths of her smooth arms, tracing her figure with feather touches.

It was pitch black. They were both drunk. The two were practically crushed against each other.

As they were crushed against each other, their lips crashed just as hard.

It was pure instinct for them both, their human impulses dominating over their shinobi codes for the first time.

Hinata barely knew what a kiss was, and yet somehow she knew how to move against his lips.

Their breathing was heavy; both tasted each other's sake in their mouths.

Sasuke growled into her mouth, his human turning animal.

Hinata allowed him to explore behind her lips as she pulled his neck closer.

Neither of them took notice as the door behind them lightly creaked open, and the figure from earlier stepped into the room.

Sasuke removed his wet lips from hers as he trailed them down her neck, and she buried her face into his soft hair, pulling him closer. Wanting more.

His warm breath lingered on her pulse before trailing back up around her lips. His hands removed the glasses immediately, throwing them off to the side.

It was too dark to see each other, but they both were highly aware the other was there.

Sasuke kissed her eyelids, long lashes tickling his lips. Then his lips trailed over to the side, and Hinata's breath hitched as he bit her earlobe.

His hands were slid down her body, trailing the hem of her dress. Hinata kicked off her boots, pulling her bare feet in to wrap around his waist.

Detaching her arms from around his neck, Hinata mimicked him, playing with the hem of his shirt, both of them delving into another deep kiss.

There was no passion. No love. No hate. No feeling.

There was just sake and human lust.

And so, neither of them cared when the figure appeared and knocked Sasuke unconscious, his limp form rolling off the bed.

Before Hinata had time to react, a hand pressed against her pulse, and she faded into the true darkness in the blackness of the room.

_**A weapon unsheathed only leads to darkness.**_


	16. Chapter 14

His single visible eye was narrowed as he peered at the collapsed figures on the bed. Just as he was about to gently lift the boy off of the girl, the ajar door creaked ever so slightly. He didn't have to turn around to tell who it was.

"Neji." His voice was soft, barely heard in the thickness of the tension.

The person he was addressing stepped lightly next to him, his eyes wide and glowing pale with the familiar veins of the Byukugan. The bloodline limit was, however, not directed at Kakashi and instead his gaze was upon the unconscious couple.

"Hatake-san. What…" Neji lightly trailed off, his question hung in the air.

The masked man ran a gloved hand through his silver spiky hair before a small, sad smile creased the thin fabric over his mouth.

"You already told me about your awareness of Hinata, well, take a look at your long lost cousin." The humor was not emphasized; there was nothing to cut through the air as Neji tensed, his eyes glowing deeper and veins seeming to pop out of his skin.

The Hyuga's hands clenched into fists.

_Hinata-sama._

* * *

_Neji slipped a neatly folded piece of paper over to the man in front of him, his eyes a closed window of any emotion._

_Kakashi calmly unfolded the paper, scanning it with his one eye, finally looking up and letting out a sigh._

_"How is this POSSIBLE? Hinata is supposed to be dead! She was supposed to have been killed by the Cloud along with my fath- Hyuga Hizashi, brother of the clan leader."_

_His normally stoic voice held pure rage laced by denial. Kakashi knew the Hyuga boy was shocked by the discovery of his younger cousin._

_"Neji, calm down, we are drawing unnecessary attention," Kakashi's voice was smooth and carefully kept in tone._

_Once he was sure that the distraught boy had regained himself, Kakashi took out his orange book and opened it randomly, not reading, but appearing to. Behind the pages, his covered lips mumbled,_ _"There is much I am sure you want explained, but that is because you are in denial. You know perfectly well that Hyuga Hinata is alive and standing in this very room. And, you will have to accept the fact that she is a criminal, no longer just that cute little cousin, but an Akatsuki, as I know you overheard in that hospital room. Did you seriously believe we were in there just for a visit?"_

_Kakashi carefully studied Neji's blank face before continuing, more firmly than before._

_"We need your help, Neji. Not only to figure out what she is up to, but we need a Hyuga to keep an eye on her. Specifically, the Byukugan. And seeing as the rest of your clan would kill her on the spot, we are asking this from you. You were the closest to her before-"_

_"I accept your request, but know this, I was not the closest to her. I believe, in terms, it was the other way around…"_

_Kakashi lowered his book, revealing his puzzled expression. What did Neji mean?_

_His thoughts were interrupted as he noticed a certain couple stumbling drunk out of the large party room. Murmuring a soft excuse, Kakashi lifted himself from his seat, with full attentions on following them. The masked Jounin did not notice that a pair of Byukugan activated eyes followed him out of the room._

Neji looked down at the girl in his arms, holding her loosely bridal style. Her hair was slick on her head in sweat, slowly cooling in the late night breeze. She was fairly small and agile, but her arms and legs were toned, that of a fighter. She felt soft in his arms, innocent, as if he was carrying a child.

His eyes traveled up to her face, and a thump plummeted in his chest. Her face structure was just like his, elegant eyebrows and high cheekbones. Her bangs fell into her closed eyes, and it was only her parted lips that assured him she was alive.

This was the little girl who had turned from his best friend, his little sister, to his greatest hatred.

Neji had loved Hinata, the little sweet girl who was more of his family than any of the other Main members. He remembered his times of playing with her, soothing her, hugging her…

Wiping away her tears, absorbing her anger, listening to her laugh…

And then, the year of her mother's death, when his little hime had turned into a lifeless doll. No emotion, plain stone.

Carved perfectly, every detail adding to the beauty. The only missing thing was the substance. She had turned hollow, inside and out. A lifeless porcelain doll.

Neji had never hated Hinata. His anger towards her was the blinding fear that he would lose her just as he lost his father. In this blindness he failed to realize he was the one holding the knife, breaking her down, making her disappear…

_Poof!_

Neji was halfway past an apartment complex when the girl in his arms vanished into nothing but leaves. He looked up, his now plain lavender eyes just skimming the bricks of the building.

With a low sigh, Neji dropped his hands to his sides and walked away, one thought haunting his muddled mind.

_Was I the one who turned Hinata-sama into this stranger?_

* * *

Hinata's hand was on her perspiring forehead as her chest heaved up and down. She sat on the roof of her apartment building, her back against the ledge with her bare feet pulled in.

She was perplexed, to say the very least. How had she ended up in Nii-sa- the Hyuga's arms? What had happened? Why was she not even in her room in the first place.

Her head was throbbing as she tried to chase the tiny wisps of memory flying around her aching mind. Everything felt dizzy, and her eyes were lidded.

Wait, her eyes?

Hinata reached towards her face and realized that she did not have her glasses. Did the Hyuga know who she was? Was this whole mission a gone, just like that?

Hinata folded her legs in a cross and sat down in a meditative position. She cleared her mind, numbing the throbs to beating one with her heart.

Loud music, a glass of clear liquid, strange battle movements…

She ran a hand through her dark hair, pushing a lock behind her ear. _Concentrate, concentrate…_

An image hit her mind so hard that Hinata almost lost consciousness again. With a sleepy yawn, she lifted herself up and headed down the stairs to her apartment, eager to take a shower and get ready to meet the Hokage about her promised mission.

She tried to push the vivid image out of her mind of dark, deep eyes glinting with some strange kind of hunger.

The more important thing about the image was that the eyes were dark, like black. Anything but Hyuga eyes. Her secret was safe.

Or so she believed.

* * *

_Poof!_

Sasuke's languid reflexes gave him only time enough to see a blur of orange and silver transport from his room. "Kakashi…"

As he swung his feet over his bed, the raven haired boy ruffled his hair and noticed that he was still in his formal clothes from the party. _What happened?_

Stripping himself from his clothes, Sasuke leaned against the cool wet tiles as the shower was on full blast, plastering his damp hair.

His head had the familiar ache of a hangover, but ever since Naruto had become Hokage and the Rookie Nine were permitted to drink, he had adapted himself to the pain. Now it was but a small jab in his head.

It was an advantage, letting him think clearly. Yet last night, it was as if everything was a blank slate. He remembered just a blur, playing like a broken video.

_His arms wrapped around a small waist, sitting beside Hinata and drinking sake, a dark room, holding her tightly to him…_

Sasuke gasped. Had they…? No, probably not. Or else he would not have found himself in his clothes. But how could he let himself get carried away like that?

Yet the boy could not help but lick his lips, remembering the taste of her skin. Peaches. Strange, for someone as dark as herself.

Shaking the ridiculous thoughts from his head, Sasuke gradually pushed them away by his hopes that Hinata would not remember what happened. As suspicious as she was already, they did not need another mess.

* * *

Naruto was oddly sober and recovered from the party, his bright eyes dulled with serious thought.

Kakashi watched as his former student took the role of a Hokage, despite the situation, a bit of pride rose in his chest. Uzumaki had really grown…

Naruto sighed as he looked out the window of his office, taking in the familiar sight of his beloved Konoha. Every villager was to be protected, even if he himself had to give his life. Nobody would hurt his precious people. Nothing would get through his wall. Not while he was Hokage…

And, once a villager, always a villager… but what if that villager becomes a threat? What was he supposed to do?

"Kakashi-sensei, we will have to do anything in our power to tie her down. Currently, from what you and Hyuga have found out, the closest to her is Sasuke. If she has something in this village to hold on to, maybe, just maybe…"

Naruto did not need to continue, and Kakashi looked at the solemn blonde, whose tan hands now were on his face, cupping it.

Kakashi felt pity towards the Hokage who needed to grow up so early in life in order to carry out his position. The village's current biggest threat was nothing more than a missing, little girl. It felt like the Sasuke situation all over again.

_**As the two blades clash, each meeting the enemy. The enemy that can be the closest to you. Yet what if you cannot recognize your opponent?**_


	17. Chapter 15

A hand reached up to scratch a brown, messy-haired scalp, his tan face set in a deep frown of concentration. At his side was a tense large dog, sharp teeth bared in snarl.

"Alright Akamaru… target has been spotted." Kiba harshly whispered.

The companions were settled heavily in a tree, looking down at the statue-still girl below, a pair of kunai grasped in each of her hands.

"On the count of three, buddy," the Inuzaka placed one hand in Akamaru's fur, hoisting himself up on his back.

"One… two…" his whisper seemed to count at the fast beat of his heart.

"THREE!!"

_Bang! Crash! ._

Kiba's vision was filled with dark stars as black splotches crawled over and over his sight. The world seemed to spin, and he felt a heavy weight on top of his chest, knocking him out of breath.

He shivered as he felt something crawl all over him, disgusting and irritating. They itched and poked, his fists unclenched and pinned. His feet were bound. Paralyzed? Or something else? His mind was too unfocused to figure it out.

A slobbery wet trail fell over his triangle marked cheek and as fast as it happened, the weight was off of him, and he felt a sharp jab at his Adam's apple.

Kiba forced himself to swallow a gasp, not trusting himself to breathe into the sharp blade.

Suddenly the blade was removed, and the shocked Inuzaka felt hands slip under his own and lift him up easily back on his feet. Just as he started to lean into the weight, he was pushed up in support against a tree.

"Breathe."

Not needing the invitation, Kiba took in mouthfuls of sweet air, filling in the hole of his stomach. He smoothened back the bangs plastered to his forehead, and gradually, his vision cleared.

Looking up, Kiba's jaw hurt from hanging so low.

In front of him stood Hinata, one hand twirling a kunai while the other had its palm open, revealing a small biscuit. The biscuit was offered to his so-called best friend, who happily clamped it in between his jaw, leaving some saliva on her hand.

Hinata glanced up at Kiba as she wiped the saliva on Akamaru's thick fur. Ew.

Just a few feet behind Hinata stood his teammate, Shino, who was coolly leaned against a tree. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, but a bug could be seen crawling slowly over the wrist of the jacket.

A rumble of a savage growl shook the Inuzaka, the flames of anger diminishing the crashes of his lost pride for… losing?

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! YOU ALL TEAMED UP AGAINST ME!!"

Hinata, showing no signs of being shaken from the loud tone, replied back, "It is perfectly acceptable. You must be able to determine that your closest friend can be an enemy. And the quiet strike the loudest."

Kiba understood. She had bribed Akamaru and won his teammate over, Kiba playing right into her trap. It was a dirty trick, but a good one, even he had to admit that.

The Inuzaka just grumbled darkly while Hinata and Shino shook hands in triumph.

* * *

Hinata had to admit, the training session was enjoyable. She had been spending more and more time with Inuzaka and Aburame for the last two months since her arrival at the village.

She was beginning to learn a new training method that was never recognized by the Akatsuki. _Teamwork_.

It was so _easy_ to manipulate people for your own bidding. All you needed to do was cooperate. Strange.

But, Hinata's hand clenched, she could not afford to get close enough with teamwork to create a bond. Maybe that was why the Akatsuki kept her from a team. It pushed you too close to others, too strong of a bond.

But Hinata was an Akatsuki, and an Akatsuki never bonds. She knew what she was doing; she would never get too close to be stupid enough to start caring for others.

At least, that was what Hinata believed.

Lost in her thoughts, Hinata only nodded to acknowledge the figure that came into their clearing.

"KURENEI-SENSEI!!!"

Unfortunately, Hinata could not block out Kiba's loud voice and she let out a soft sigh.

* * *

The group sat comfortably at the ramen stall, chatting about small nothings. Well, as much chatting as there could be done by Kurenei and Kiba.

Hinata leaned on the counter, her elbows resting and her head cradled in her hands. Her face was lowered, seeming more shadowed than usual. She didn't eat; simply because she didn't have to. Besides, ramen was greasy and turned a person sluggish from the amount of calories weighing them down.

It was better to be light footed. Soldier pills would suffice.

Kiba avidly dug into his pork ramen, talking between mouthfuls. Thankfully, he wasn't a messy eater like a certain Hokage, but Hinata did not take chances and sat between Kurenei and Shino.

Speaking of the two, they were both neatly scooping miso ramen in their chopsticks, Kurenei talking after every swallow while Shino just gazing into his bowl, as if he was eating the noodles out of spite.

Hinata watched the three of them; she was spending more time with those people than any other person. Yet her mission was to get close to the Hokage. Why was she wasting time?

Hinata sighed, before softly speaking up a thought that had been lingering in her mind since she started spending time with the team,

"Once, when I was in the Mist, I read about the famous Konoha Rookie Nine. I know Shino-san and Kiba-san are part of this group as well as the other six shinobi I have met. With the exception of Hyuga-san, Lee-san, and Tenten-san as they are your elders, right?"

For such a soft spoken person, Hinata managed to grasp the full attention of everyone she wished to speak to.

"And, from what I have learned so far, the teams in Konoha are composed of three ninjas. One team, Hokage-sama, Sasuke-san, Sakura-san. Another team, Shikamaru-san, Ino-san, Chouji-san. Then, finally, Kiba-san, Shino-san… and yet there is one more left? May I ask who the third member of this team is?"

Oddly enough, the trio noticeably stiffened, even Shino's face was darkened.

Kurenei, never meeting her eyes, answered hesitantly, "H-he… my third student does not go out much. You will meet him soon enough as long as you are in this village, Hinata-_san_."

The tension was broken through by the honourific added to her name, and Hinata's voice was lined thinly with amusement, "Yuuhi-san, have I not told you to drop the formality? I have known you for more than a month now."

Kiba slurped the last of his ramen, smacked his lips, and then let out a toothy grin. "Then I suggest you do the same, Hinata-chan!"

She didn't mention the missing team member again, filing away the topic for another day.

* * *

When everyone had paid for their individual shares, Hinata did not have to because she didn't buy anything, they walked out of the low roof stall and warmed as the noon sun glowed on them.

Their relaxing second was ruined by a dark intruder, coming up behind them silently. Hinata turned around out of respect, despite already having recognized the chakra.

"Sasuke-san." She bowed her head, not being so familiar with the man and having only last seen him at that curious party two months ago.

* * *

Sasuke's stony posture melted away at the edges at the respect she showed. She made it seem as if she was unfamiliar. She didn't remember what had happened _that_ night.

He had been avoiding her ever since that party, taking more missions than usual and sticking to Shikamaru who had a talent of hiding himself from women when he wanted to. It was cowardly, he had to admit. Sasuke had even dropped spying on her, his suspicions overthrown with embarrassment.

At least the handsome Uchiha wouldn't have another fan girl to add to the list. But he doubted this Hinata would have been an infatuated idiot like the rest of them. She seemed to be more concerned about carrying out duties as a ninja than socializing.

How strange. Even Sasuke himself found time to become lazy and be a regular boy his age. Sure, she seemed to spend a lot of time with Kurenei-sensei's team, but training was hardly anything like being a regular girl.

She was strange, and yet interesting as well. Sasuke could not help but slap himself for the little twinge of disappointment that she didn't remember that night.

Breaking out of his thoughts when he saw her put her palm up to her mouth in a bored yawn, Sasuke regained himself and said,

"Hokage is summoning you for a mission, report immediately to the Tower."

With a poof, he left her already retreating form on its way to the Hokage Tower.

* * *

Hinata was anxious but covered it with her usual stony mask. It had been two months since she had been waiting for this mission. The one promised to her by the Hokage himself, the one that would prove her 'loyalty' to the village.

Naruto sat at his desk, his fingers entwined and his bright eyes dulled with serious concentration. This was Hokage-sama, not Naruto-kun.

Hinata couldn't help but wonder what they were waiting for, hadn't she waited enough? Ever since that day two months ago…

_**Flashback**_

_Hinata was fully showered and strapped her cloak back on, the hangover was less important than the prospect of the mission._

_She transported over to the Tower, and knowing that he wasn't in his office, she went immediately to the room that Sasuke had lead her to the first day._

_Unsurprisingly, the blonde was sprawled on the bed, covers messy and hand dangling off the edge._

_Hinata sighed, made a swift hand seal and whispered, "Kai."_

_Naruto jumped up out of bed as the explosion boomed in the room, sputtering a mess on inaudible words. He looked over to Hinata who was a few feet in front of the bed, hands crossed over her chest._

_Naruto was right about getting the lack of sleep with her in the village._

_He ran a tired hand through his hair and let out a deep breath, closing his eyes sleepily. "I know you are here for the mission, but it is not prepared for you yet. I promise though, you will get a chance to go on it, I do not go back on your words."_

_Hinata had a mental scowl as she left the room, and Naruto dropped back in bed, the hangover from all that sake knocking himself out immediately._

* * *

Poof!

Hinata turned slightly to see the raven haired Uchiha appear in the room, a bag slung over his shoulder, probably filled with supplies.

Why was he here?

Naruto sat up, and Hinata immediately returned her attention to him. The Hokage took out a small scroll and unfurled it, reading it without looking up.

"A-Rank. Partners, Uchiha Sasuke and Hinata Ikustaka. Location, Suna, of the Wind Country. Objective, act as body guards for Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara, protect him with your life. There have been reports of Akatsuki spottings. You leave in an hour, due to be back as soon as something happens."

_Something happens?_

He dismissed them with a wave of his hand, and just as Hinata was about to follow the Uchiha out of the door, the Hokage stopped her.

"Hinata, you are not required to wear your uniform as I think it may be better to keep your position a secret. Since Sasuke knows about you as your mission partner…"

Hinata nodded and bowed out. She understood. Besides, it would feel much better carrying her mission out in her usual clothes.

Plus, the Akatsuki would be able to recognise her in these clothes. Hinata couldn't help but muse what would happen if they were confronted.

She grabbed her already packed bag and locked her apartment, meeting Sasuke half way down the entrance. He lived here too?

The pair headed for the village gates, both wrapped in their own thoughts.

Hinata was anxious about the Akatsuki .

Sasuke was tense about the small possibility that he may meet the man who slaughtered his clan.

* * *

_**A weapon sharp enough to cut through the air, yet flat enough to parry the incoming attack.**_


	18. Chapter 16

The two dark haired shinobi wasted no time, running gracefully through the trees that separated Konoha from the Wind Country. Every so often, one of the branches would creak, and both beings, alert, would immediately reach to grasp the handles of their designated blades.

Hinata ran swiftly at a set pace beside the Uchiha, her arms to her sides, and their feet a blur. Her cloak would occasionally whoosh in the air, but her hood was firmly in place. The only difference in her attire was the new leaf band, wrapped on her upper left arm.

A silent smirk appeared over her shadowed face. She couldn't wait to put that traitor mark through it. Just ten more months…

The amused girl narrowed her eyes as she turned to look at the mission partner. It was absurd to pair her up with such a hindrance. The pathetic village and their Hokage knew that she was capable of handling the mission herself. Kami, she had even beaten this boy up at least twice!

She took in the sight of him, his own eyes glazed over in thought. Long bangs framed his pale face, pink lips parted in light breathing. Mostly lean, he had toned muscle that could be seen slightly from under his form fitting shirt. This boy… looked like a little doll one of those babies she had been assigned to in the hospital would have played with. His cheeks held no fat, but they still looked soft to touch. Overall, he looked fragile. Like a little boy playing ninja.

This perfect creature, a wonderful display of beauty, he wasn't cut out for the life of a ninja. He possessed the attitude, but the hate was lacking. The fact that he was so passionate about those children just fueled her theory. A ninja was formed from the very core of hatred, bathed in flames, and erupting in the perfect weapon.

This boy, even if she realized that he must have been related to Itachi-sensei somehow with the clan, was nothing like the cold teacher she trained under. Their resemblance was strictly physical, even though Itachi possessed chiseled features while this Uchiha was softer.

A black object flew past, and she almost drew a kunai, startled by its appearance. Looking closer, she realised it was a crow. Black and small, its silhouette just barely stood out from the dancing shadows of the trees. The crow gave a slight inaudible growl, one that nothing but keen ears would be able to pick up, before completely melting into the darkness.

Her heart picked up. It seemed that the Akatsuki were coming to _her_.

* * *

Sasuke was barely aware of his surroundings, but careful to leave his guard up. Every sudden noise made him jump; the crevice of the mind was a dangerous place to tread.

He couldn't help but wonder about the girl running beside him ever since she came to the village on his sentry duty. She took up all of his thoughts, made him wonder, made him think, and even if he hated to admit is… made him care.

He had never met a girl, never met a fellow ninja, who was so arcane. Usually a ninja, when being introduced, would right off the bat boast about who they are and what they are in the world. Whatever it may be from missing nin to Hokage, it was fairly easy to recognise a shinobi.

But here she is, coming from who knows where and officially a fellow villager. Everyone seemed to like her enough, maybe to the point of trusting, but he wasn't so sure about himself. She seemed too good to be true. It was a fantasy for a village to suddenly get such a powerful ninja in their ranks. And when Konoha needed her most, especially with the Akatsuki raids all around the ninja countries, she was a Kami send.

However, one could not depend on luck alone. She was too suspicious… but that didn't mean he hated her. Maybe it was his envy, but his respect was just fluttering there for the ninja she proved to him several times to be.

But she was not only a ninja, but also a kunochi. It would be a lie to say she wasn't beautiful… Sasuke had long since lost the taste of her on his lips, but he could still vividly remember what his previous drunk memories had allowed him to remember. For some reason, the tips of his ears felt warm.

It was irritating… one girl, one ninja; one being could stir so much emotion in him that had taken years to rid of. It seemed that she had taken over the role of stoicism ice cube and he had become a regular awe struck fan boy. It was disgusting, but he wasn't ashamed…

Sasuke mentally hit himself. Why was he so _lustful _nowadays? He was an avenger, not love-struck. At the thought of avenger, he suddenly flashed back to the exams.

_Unconsciously, she let out a mumbled, "Itachi-sensei…?"_

How could he have forgotten about that? Caught up in his own praises towards the Hinata girl, he had almost let slip his duty to the late clan. To kill the man who he used to call his brother.

Sasuke's fist clenched on the blade of his kunai, the metal digging slightly into his skin.

Maybe he imagined it, but if he didn't… it meant that this girl knew his brother. She might even know where he is. But, how would she know that evil man? From what he knew about his aniki, which wasn't really much, was that he never associated out of the Akatsuki. Only an Akatsuki member would really know Itachi well enough to call him by the formality of sens-

Sasuke broke out of his thoughts to stop midway a leap on a branch and notice that his mission partner has ceased running.

He really needed to get laid.

* * *

Hinata jumped the fifty feet to the forest floor softly, the leaves stirring under her shoes. She dropped her pack with a thump and rummaged through it, taking out her half of the tent.

In order to save time, she and the Uchiha had agreed to share one tent. It would also lighten their loads in case they were intercepted by enemies. Besides, they were only going to camp out once at the most.

She nodded in acknowledgement as the confused mission partner dropped beside her. He, too, dropped his pack by his feet but instead of opening it, he stared at her.

"Why are we stopping? There can't be more than a few miles left to the desert!"

His voice was dripping with irritation, probably from being disturbed out of whatever in the Fire country he was thinking so hard about.

"Precisely. To tell you the truth, I would rather avoid having to camp out in the sticky desert for the main fact that it would be a perfect place for an ambush. After a good rest, we will be able to cross the desert nonstop and make it to the capital around late morning." She quickly made up, the lie sewing easily into her mouth. Of course, there was a much deeper reason for resting. If he had known her better, he would have realized that she never stops on missions, preferring to get to the checkpoint quickly as possible.

The raven haired boy let out a grunt and a suspicious murmur of _paranoid_, but he complied with taking out his share of the tent and a sleeping bag.

Hinata shrugged off his attitude and said nothing more.

* * *

The two sat opposite of each other in the tiny dark camp, Hinata calmly breathing in time with Sasuke. Her head was the closest to the entrance.

Both ninja had decided that it would be useless issuing a watch, simply because they would be able to tell chakra arrivals anyway from their light sleeping. If they weren't alert sleepers, they could hardly be counted as shinobi, right?

Sasuke had fallen asleep immediately as he hit the pillow, his toned chest softly rising and falling and his bangs falling into his face. The very definition of adorable. Hinata scowled.

These Konoha ninja, the majority of them were soft, _nice_. How was it possible to train people like them? Even the, her mind strained at the thought of his name, Hyuga was not as cold as the mentors of the Akatsuki. Growing up in a literal metal cage, it was strange to be out in the open, to see what shinobi in the world were like. And… most of them were weak, like the _boy _next to her. Hinata could not resist from wondering, would she have been this weak eleven years ago if she had never been taken in by the Akatsuki?

Speaking of the Akatsuki, she heard the tiny growl of a bird and pulled her hood over her face, going to 'sleep' fully dressed. Silently, she let her gaze linger on the Uchiha, reassuring herself that he was asleep before gliding out of the tent.

As soon as the flap fluttered, the seemingly snoozing ninja's eyes opened, his onyx eyes staring at her empty spot on the blanket.

* * *

Hinata's feet fell on each branch with superb grace, making no more noise than the wind blowing through the forest. She retraced her steps to where she had seen the crow before falling into a clearing.

At the second her feet touched the forest floor, a dark figure slid out of the trees, calm crimson eyes scanning over her lithe form.

She bowed low to her sensei, before feeling the ever-so familiar yank of his slender fingers wrapping around her chin and lifting her straight. She willed herself to look him straight in the eyes, trying to refrain from the heat that wanted to erupt in her emotionless face.

With the other hand that was placed on the small of her back, he pulled down her hood, wanting to see her 'mask'. The wind kissed her exposed neck, chilling her earlobes. His long pale fingers unhooked from around her chin and went to caress her cheek, before grasping a lock of her dark silky hair.

Hinata didn't know why she was letting him touch her when she crawled away from any sign of humanity at the instinct injected in her by the Akatsuki. Maybe because he was her sensei, he had the right to touch her if he wanted to… or maybe it was because it felt right.

But the young woman had no idea why, instead of the usual stomach flutters around Itachi, there was a raw hunger feeling enrapturing the extent of her body. Eating away at her self control and it was just aroused further by the equally animal glint in her sensei's Sharingan. It was barely able to be seen, but it was there.

Itachi's firm, rock hard voice was soft yet clearly heard, similar to her own. And, it was impossible to hear him at the close proximity.

"I have been watching you…" The back of his hand brushed her cheek as he twined the piece of hair he was playing with. "So far your progress has been slow, but you are getting there…" There was no very good but there was also no horrible. He was not offering his own consent on her work, more like he was offering the consent of the Akatsuki overall.

"For your mission to Suna, I am on Leader-sama's orders to pass these orders on to you. As you probably already know, the Akatsuki have been around the village. Not for usual sport, but we actually have a lead this time."

_A lead_. Those meant that if the mission was to protect the Kazekage but at the same time the Akatsuki were around the village… Hinata's lips parted slightly at the realization.

Itachi's gaze lowered to her lips at the movement, before sharply looking back into her eyes. "Yes, the Kazekage, Sabaku no Gaara is a demon vessel. Specifically, the Shukaku."

Hinata pressed her mouth together, the corners almost lifting. Almost. She knew where this was going, but she decided to remain silent, like any disciplined student would.

The sensei tugged lightly at the lock he was playing with, running his thumb through the individual, pin-straight strands. "Troublesome as it is for the fact that Kages nowadays tend to be demons," Hinata knew he was referring to Naruto and couldn't help but silently agree. "Leader-sama finds that you may be useful on a sub-mission. He wants you to prod the young Gaara into our hands," Itachi's eyes narrowed noticeably, his mouth itching to scowl. "_Code S_."

Hinata wished her hood was back up, for the fact of the slight widening of her eyes. At least Itachi had melted back into the shadows before seeing her expression, saving her some dignity. She had never been asked to carry out _that_ task by the Akatsuki, for she was young and kept secluded for more important missions. She was needed formore serious, dangerous, tasks, a weapon's tasks. But the fact they were asking her to…

Hinata shrugged it off as she slipped back next to Sasuke, orders were orders. But, it seemed that this mission would be a little more interesting than she expected.

Code S. _Seduction_.


	19. Chapter 17

Sasuke's eyes snapped open to the shuffling noises beside him and sat up with the blanket falling in his lap. He brushed his bangs back with a pale hand and his onyx eyes looked at the girl next to him under long thick lashes.

She seemed to have been packing up, stuffing her share of supplies back into her pack. The sight of her triggered the memory from last night. "Hey, where did you-"

He was cut off by her departing presence and just a few seconds of stunned silence later, the tent cloth fell on top of him, signaling for him to hurry up and get back in gear.

* * *

Sasuke's scowled deeply as he ran beside Hinata, now fully packed. They were at the edge of the forest, and suddenly the trees melted away leaving open land.

The scowl faded away into a gape. Sasuke looked at the scene, knowing when to admire beauty as a ninja whose life is always on the line.

The sky was painted with the early colors of a sun barely raised, splashed with dark violet and warming pink. As far as he could see were mounds of light chocolate sand, gracefully rolling on and on. Hinata had been wise to stop them for the night at the clearing, for now arriving at the desert in early morning would gratefully deny them the hindrance of excessive heat, instead leaving them with a cool breeze.

Adjusting his shoulder strap, Sasuke noticed that his mission partner had run a considerable distance farther, and he speeded up to catch up. Shrugging, he guessed that she wasn't one to gawk at nature.

* * *

Hinata left the Uchiha to admire the desert; if he wanted to stray behind, so let it be. She wasn't going to be dragged back by the doll. And, she wasn't one to drag herself either.

She calculated the distance and knew that they would have to raise their pace if they wanted to get to the city before midday. Plus, with both of their dark clothes and pale skin, it was not the wise to stay out too long in the desert fire without protection.

Absentmindedly, she noticed that the Uchiha had finally caught up. She was in a bad mood with him, his slow time to wake up and pack had wasted the precious time they had to get to Suna. Oh well. It just meant that he would have to push himself harder to go faster.

The sand lightly rose around their feet, as their soles dug into the soft grounding. She watched the wind raise the brown particles and thought back to last night. This seduction, it would have to be carefully planned, limited, and weighed. The fact that she had never met this Gaara didn't help a bit, paired up with the fact she'd never done anything remotely close to this in her life.

As her thoughts strayed over the previous night, she couldn't help but wonder at Itachi's sudden display of emotion when he mentioned Code S. He seemed angry. Was it even possible for Itachi Uchiha to reveal those emotions? And if so, why with her? What did she do to make him upset with her? It was Leader-sama's orders, after all.

Hinata's quiet mulling was interrupted by the boy she was so irritated with. Refusing to look at him, she let him speak for himself.

"Hey, Hinata-san," Sasuke warily continued the question he had been cut off on an hour ago. "I was wondering where you went last night."

Hinata's shoulders tensed in surprise. He had been awake? Then, she felt a wave of relief that he hadn't attempted to follow her, or else it would have been a done in on both her and Itachi-sensei…

"I sensed a presence in the clearing, and being restless, I decided to go check it out. Thankfully, it was just a hunting owl."

As great as she was at lying, Sasuke still felt suspicious at her quick reply. Not wanting to push it further, he let the matter drop. The truth would be out eventually if it was that important. It always worked that way.

Both shinobi turned back to the distance in tense silence, not willing to put complete trust in the other. As was the ninja way.

* * *

Sasuke threw back his head as he took a long drink from the canteen before tossing it over to Hinata, beads of water running over his chin.

She caught it easily and took a small sip from it, her tongue darting out for a split second to catch the globule threatening to fall. Soldier pills could not make up for dehydration.

He had lost track of exact time, but he knew from the position of the sun overhead that it had been over a few hours. His hamstring had been pulled, leaving the back of his right leg aching painfully. His knees were wobbling from exhaustion; it wasn't easy to run over sand. But he didn't dare fall in front of her.

Sasuke couldn't help but feel a slight resentment at the young girl pushing both of them across the absurdly large desert; even if he knew that it was mainly his fault for making them late in the first place. Hinata looked perfectly fine. Despite the fact her hood covered her face, her posture was relaxed and didn't reveal any of the tiredness he felt.

Sasuke glanced at her as they continued running, catching the canteen of water swiftly. He played with the lid as he mulled his thoughts over their short and only bit of conversation earlier.

She had been lying… but why? What purpose did she have to leave their tent in the middle of the forest? It wasn't like she could meet anybody out in the middle of nowhere… Besides, who would she know around there anyway? From what he discovered about her through the first couple of months was that she barely spoke about herself, if she spoke at all, and that she never mentions any connection to anybody, as if she was an outcast.

As he openly stared at the dark locks that flew out of her hood from the speed they were running at and his tongue moistened his chapped lips, he pulled his gaze away at the sound of her speaking, feeling a heat at the base of his neck. Must be from the strengthening sun.

"It looks like we're finally here, we made it to Suna." Sasuke followed the direction her voice indicated with his eyes and noticed a huge dark egregious mass on top of the tanned desert ground. His sigh of relief flowed around both of the ninja and they increased their speed.

* * *

Hinata stared at the high gates of the city, double the size of the ones in Konoha. She approached the main entrance, eager to get off of the soft sand.

The man at the entrance was very tan with a head covering, obviously as protection from the heat. He looked quite bored but refreshed, he must have switched shifts about an hour ago. As Sasuke trailed behind her, the cloaked girl reached toward one of her many pockets on her suit and took out a small, neatly furled scroll. With a snap of her thumb, she opened it and held it up, both her and Sasuke's faces imprinted on the light parchment.

The guard raised a light colored eyebrow at the scroll and examined it before nodding approval. He made a few hand signs and the gates grumbled as they opened. In an equally gruff voice, he explained how to get to the Kazekage Tower and pointed to the highest buff building.

With a swift bow of her head, Hinata glanced back at Sasuke and as their eyes locked, they both went forward into the silent paved streets of Suna, empty due to the early morning.

* * *

Both raven haired ninja stood in the small beige walled room, not bothering to sit in the hard wooden chairs aligned around a coffee table. Sasuke was leaning against an open space of wall and Hinata was stiff as a statue a few feet away from him.

As the silence increased further than their original distance from each other, a small creak of a door creaked and a tall, heavily muscular man in his forties entered as both of them immediately looked up.

He was tan and half his face was covered by a draped head covering. The Suna shinobi headband securely kept the cloth in place. On his revealed cheek was strange red markings and his face structure was rough and strong. His attire included a vest that indicated that he was a jounin.

As he met both of their piercing gazes, he slightly smirked and gestured towards the door. "The Kazekage will see you now."

Hinata let Sasuke go ahead of her, hesitating for a moment at the doorway before she stepped in to see the man of her latest mission.

* * *

The first thing she saw was red. A flamboyant bright red spiky mop, long strands ending at the back of his neck. As he looked up at the two ninja, she had to struggle with the strange heat that kept trying to tear down her defenses ever since she started the mission.

The Kage looked young, probably around the age of Sasuke and herself. For being a resident of a sand village, he was strangely pale, the moon white skin complimenting his soft hair. He was dressed in crimson and black robes, different from Naruto's own lightly colored Kage attire. Long fingers attached to a skinny hand, clutched around a pen that he used to scribble on the heavy piles of papers in front of him.

His pale face had some kind of nobility on it, judging from the handsome structure. His lips were a delicious light brown and his nose was elegantly small. The most awe striking feature of the man were his eyes. Heavily rimmed in chalky black, it made his eyes, pool mixtures of both blue and green, sharp and breath taking.

As her eyes travelled over him, she couldn't help but notice the spot on his face where the hair parted in smooth locks, revealing a crimson kanji, Ai. Love.

His voice, so soft and deep, brought her eyes locking with his own. "If I am correct, you two must be the Konoha ninja Naruto sent at my request."

Hinata kept her face blank despite the warmth blazing on her cheeks. Sometimes she wondered how she would survive without the shadow of her cloak. In indication of his statement, she nodded and then bowed in respect to the Kazekage, Sasuke mimicking her movements.

* * *

Sasuke felt a clenching in his stomach as he noticed from the silence that Hinata was checking Gaara out. His fingers curled tightly for some unknown reason.

He had never liked Gaara, ever since their battle at the Chunin exams so many years ago. It had flamed a rivalry between them, lasting only for that specific length of time. And the fact that the red haired demon vessel had lost control and almost crushed Konoha. It was safe to say that the Hidden Leaf Village was wary of their alliance of Suna.

The only reason the connection between the villages existed was because of the friendship between Naruto and Gaara. Sasuke understood what kind of friendship they held very clearly, it was similar to the one he had with Shikamaru. They both were similar to each other, carrying the burdens of loneliness and demons. As the old west saying goes, you are who you hang around with.

After a few seconds of staring, he noticed that Hinata was bowing, and he scrambled to do so as well. As her bow was deep and low, his own was just a simple jerk and a hidden scowl. It was returned with a narrow of eyes from Gaara, whose gaze lingered on him for a few seconds before returning to Hinata.

Sasuke mentally noted that the Kazekage, despite switching gazes between the two, spent a lot more time observing Hinata, as she him. Holding back a groan, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder why so many guys were infatuated with powerful kunochi these days instead of the shyer, softer ones.

* * *

"Kazekage-sama, our Hokage has informed us on the mission to protect the Kage at all costs, even in the risk of our own lives. We _both_ will try to meet up to your expectations, at the best of our abilities. Though, I request permission to research the files on the Akatsuki to make the mission efficient."

Hinata looked at Sasuke out of the corner of her eye, not daring to forget that he was in the room. She hoped that the crude look he sent the Kazekage wouldn't indicate feelings that would prove to jeopardize her plan.

With the rest of her focus on Gaara, she noticed his lips had twitched into a tiny smirk, brightening his features tenfold. It took too much effort to keep her gaze on him and not look away.

"Of course, I believe you are Hinata-san, right? Pleasure to meet you. Sasuke-san, nice to see you again. I will have Baki escort you both to your rooms and after freshening up, you two will be assigned separate escorts. I hope you enjoy your stay." He lowered his gaze back to his assignment, the faint click of pen starting again. The man from before stepped into the room on cue, waiting for them to come.

Hinata once again bowed, grateful for an excuse to look away from the most handsome face she had ever seen after the cage she occupied called the Akatsuki. These feelings, for some reason she felt as if they melted her insides, mushed her into a lump of weakness. It wouldn't be right to continue letting them on.

As she walked out of the room behind Sasuke, she shrugged it off. It wasn't as if she would stay in Suna forever, just until she pushed the boy into the clutches of the Akatsuki. Shame to see such a fine face die, but his features would make her task a whole lot easier nonetheless.

Hinata smirked. Gaara-sama was as good as dead.

* * *

_**The weapon plunged through, for nothing is more beautiful than fresh blood.**_


	20. Chapter 18

Hinata trailed a little at Sasuke's feet as they followed Baki. She looked around at the tall beige ceilings of the Kazekage Tower, titanic compared to the one back in Konoha.

As she turned her head to see the decorative fans that hung in an arranged fashion, she couldn't help but scold herself for her ignorance. Of course the tower would be bigger; after all, Suna was the capital of the Wind country. Konoha was a bustling town of civilians but Suna was a large, corporative city.

Only because of her trained instincts was she able to stop herself from crashing directly into her partner's back. Apparently the jounin had lead them to the first room.

"The Lady's chambers." His gruff voice could not pull the polite gentleman off at all. Hinata just pulled her cloak closer to herself and pushed the door open before slamming it, reminding the elder that she was a ninja. Lady, her foot.

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow as he and Baki exchanged glances. Who knew that deep inside that cloak was a brat?

Hinata dropped her pack at her feet and looked around the room, unimpressed. The walls were a light gray tinted with a white ceiling, different from the tan of the rest of the building. The black silk covered bed was large, in a sense that would make a single person uncomfortable when sleeping. Then there were the essentials; wardrobe, closet, and vanity table with a rounded mirror.

Beside the wardrobe on the eastern side of the room there was a washed white door with a brass knob. The crack at the bottom was raised high, revealing tiles. Bathroom.

She nudged the pack to the side with her foot and walked towards the door, unclipping her cloak in the process and flinging it on the bed. She quietly turned the handle to the door, mentally noting that it was greased to make no sounds.

It was clean. She felt as if she should take off her shoes. T

he tiles were bright, as if brand new. There was a double sink, shiny and dry. A little further there was a bathtub and directly on its west was a translucent shower. Parallel to the sinks was a small silver rack with thick crimson towels of a set of sizes.

She ran a hand through her knotted hair and grabbed a towel, using her free hand to turn the knob of the sink. Slowly she ran the thickly soft cloth under the cool water and patted her face, ridding the sticky sweat and sand that clung to her skin from the desert sun. Then, she wet the tips of her fingers and brushed at her eyelids, picking out the gritty sand that had flew into them. Suddenly, Hinata opened her eyes and looked at the large mirror that ran the majority of the wall. Lavender orbs pierced back at her. She slammed the knob, ceasing the water, and dropped the damp towel on top of it. The door shivered as she ran out of the bathroom.

Hinata sat on the covers of her bed, the silkiness tickling her bare legs. She was on her back, tracing the bruised skin underneath her eyes. _These eyes_… they were what kept her last, unbreakable bond in Konoha. These damn Byukugan blood-lines that could reveal herself as a Hyuga. Because of these _eyes, _she had to hide underneath a cape, like a weakling. Her palm was flat over the lids and she quietly breathed out her frustration.

How long she sat there, unmoving, was impossible due to the fact that the curtains were drawn over her windows, obscuring the sun in the sky. Only did the sbe move when loud, irritating knocks reverberated off her thoughts, and she had no choice but to get up and answer the door.

Groggily, Hinata pulled on her cape and instinctively pulled her hood over her face as she made her way towards the door she had come through. Opening it, she blinked and felt an urge to close it.

Before her stood an average sized man who looked to be about a few years older than her. His darkly tan skin was hidden under excessive paint marks of purple and black, the little pupils of his eyes dark and narrowed as he swore under his breath. Little tufts of brownie hair poked through the ridiculous dark cap pulled over on his head. On one shoulder, he carried a strange parcel with dark static tendrils.

"Ugh… stupid Gaara, always makes me wake up early like this. What's a guy to get some sleep around here? And now I'll probably be his twin with dark bags under my beautiful eyes just to escort some hag of a guest around. Knowing my luck, this new guy is probably old and slow, that ass of a Kage in Konoha never sends over any hot ninja. Suna girls are all after the Kazekage, nobody cares about having me la-

A soft cough made him cease his muttered rant and his eyes widened, the markings around his face stretching as his jaw fell open.

"-id. Oh wow, you're the ninja Konoha sent? Nice body, very slim, rack-"

"As much as I am flattered by your perverted observations, may we get a move on?" Hinata softly said, her tone threaded with signs of irritation. This blabbermouth just didn't know when to shut up and she wanted to get this tour over with so the real mission could begin.

"OHHH! Of course!! By the way, I am Kankuro. What's your name?" His eyebrows lifted suggestively, but he noticed that his object of flirtation was already at the end of the hallway and about to turn the corner.

"HEY, WAIT FOR MEE!!!"

* * *

Sasuke was lead to a room a few doors down from Hinata's. To say the least, he was surprised by her attitude but couldn't help but let a smirk crawl over his face at Baki's expression. She sure knew how to put somebody in their place.

He didn't even bother taking his time to look around the room, it didn't matter. The mission wasn't to enjoy the large city and act like a touring commoner. The young boy flung himself on his bed, tucking his arms under his head.

This stay would prove to be interesting. Him alone with Hinata. The thought of the girl brought suspicious heat onto his ivory face. Ever since that night… it was crazy, but he couldn't help but cling to those memories.

It was disgusting, to result on an interest to a girl who thought him as a weakling. He doubted that she beat anybody other than him up more than once. He would prove himself to her. _But for what purpose? To get her to notice him or to save his dignity?_

Shaking away the thoughts, Sasuke couldn't help but utter a curse towards hormones. Of all the years for them to arrive, they just had to come with _her_.

Absentmindedly, his hand reached for the kunai pouch on his waist, lifting one small dagger out. Twirling it, his face hardened at the thought of Gaara. This mission… it was way too troublesome.

He had to stop hanging out with Shikamaru, Sasuke thought as he slowly drifted to sleep.

It only seemed like he had just closed his eyes when a loud crash sounded through the room. Jumping off his bed, he grasped the handle of the kunai harder, spreading his legs out in stance.

Before him stood a tall female, looking to be a few years older than him though he was taller. Her dirty blonde hair was proudly held up in ponytails and her long skirt fluttered as she leaned on her large fan.

Sasuke lowered his hand and straightened up, nodding in recognition. "Temari."

* * *

Sasuke walked beside his friend, listening to her chatter away like she had to as his escort. Suddenly, she stopped and he looked at her sun kissed face, which was dusted in pink.

"So.. umm, back in Konoha…" Her naturally husky voice seemed to falter in embarrassment. Sasuke silently tilted his head, confused. She took a deep breath and blurted out,

"Did Shikamaru metion anything about me?!" Her face seemed to turn a darker shade of red and Sasuke couldn't stop the chuckle.

The raven haired boy smirked at the thought of his best friend back in Konoha. Heh, it seemed that his lazy friend always went after the crazy ones. It was funny to be questioned about another's love life.

"Wow, Temari-san. It is nice to know you are so _concerned_ about the health of Konoha ninja." He raised a delicate eyebrow, struggling to keep his face straight.

The woman looked like a bleached tomato, but that didn't stop her from raising her first.

* * *

Hinata sighed as the boy beside her throbbed loudness into her head. Under the safety of her cape, she couldn't help but send a deadly glare at his cheerful radiation.

Kankuro seemed oblivious. Her shoulders sagged at the thought of keeping him alive.

Her fist clenched, paling. She could just kill him; it wouldn't take long at all. But if she did, then how would she stay in Suna and complete the side mission for the Akatsuki? As she internally battled with herself, she failed to notice the boy beside her go silent.

It only took a few seconds for her to catch hold of the two sets of chakra in the midst of her thoughts. Looking up, she rolled her eyes at the sight of the Uchiha.

Currently, the raven haired boy had Kankuro up against a wall, his hand grasped around his neck. His knuckles were white and his eyes crimson with the Sharingan.

Hinata sighed, a faint headache throbbing. This was getting ridiculous. "What do you think you're-"

"Sasuke-san, I would appreciate it if you kept your hands off my brother," a deep voice cut her off.

Everyone, including Hinata, turned to look at the red haired Kazekage, who looked as cool as ever with his hands crossed against his chest.

Sasuke mumbled something inaudible, refusing to admit that he had caught Kankuro talking to her chest rather than face, but thankfully, he was ignored as Hinata locked eyes with the pair of sharp blue green ones.

He was taller than she had expected. When he was sitting down, she didn't notice, but now she could see it clearly. It seemed that he had a good foot over her, fairly slim, not lined with muscles like most shinobi were. She glanced from him to Kankuro, who was rubbing his neck, before her eyes widened.

_Brother?!_

* * *

Uchiha, Kankuro, and as she soon learned later, Temari had grouped together along with herself in the 'tour'. Gaara had left after the encounter, claiming to have paperwork to finish.

Speaking of which, did he ever manage to get through those large stacks? He certainly spent a lot of time on it but it seemed like a never ending pile.

The two siblings were ahead while she and and the Uchiha walked a little behind them. Yes, siblings. To much shock, she had later found out that Temari was the eldest, then Kankuro, and finally Gaara.

She could tell Temari was the oldest from the natural motherly instinct she seemed to give off along with her attitude, and the fact that Kankuro cowered at her very presence. Also, she seemed to be at much ease with Gaara, even rubbing his hair playfully.

On the other hand, she could not believe that Kankuro would be older than Gaara, simply because of his attitude. He was noisy, immature, perverated, and everything that seemed to unveil her irritation. His flirtatious attitude did not soothe her either. It was fairly obvious why Gaara was the Kazekage, and not him.

Besides, the red head managed to capture her interest. He actually seemed strong, unlike the ninja she had seen in Konoha. And not normally potential, like the boy beside her, but unnaturally. No wonder the Akatuski were going after him… besides the fact he was a demon vessel.

The thought of strength brought her first sentence towards the group, "Are there any training grounds around here?"

* * *

Hinata looked around at the large training ground, much bigger than the grassy ones in Konoha. Which brought up another point, it was all _sand_.

Her smirk was hidden under the shade of her cape. Sand would make it difficult to keep balance and she would have to alter her stances completely. Not to mention that her ninjutsu was limited. At least the ones that dealt with climate.

This was a challenge. Hinata felt her chakra course through her body, lighting at her fingertips. She wanted to go wild, jump around, fight.

But she was disciplined, as a weapon should be. She would not be flung too far from her master, she stayed still.

Meanwhile, the siblings were arguing about who would spar with who. Sasuke looked at them, amusing himself for a few minutes before popping in his own word.

"Why don't we tag team? Hinata-san and myself against you two. Konoha against Suna."

The two immediately grinned, it was perfect. And even though Sasuke wouldn't admit it, he only suggested it because he didn't want to embarrass himself by being beaten again. It was much more fun to see others lose.

* * *

The raven haired ninja and cloaked kunochi stood side by side, both of them stiff and ready. Opposite of them were the sandnin, one holding her fan out before her while the other dropped his parcel beside him with a thump.

Hinata wordlessly sent Sasuke a nudge with her foot, indicating that they were to wait for the opponents to attack first. She had never battled the ninja of the Sand before, so she needed to plan out her strategy.

Temari and Kankuro were not as secretive, ferociously whispering to each other. Sasuke and Hinata watched them, waiting.

Suddenly, the siblings nodded at each other and both narrowed eyes, they had come to an agreement. As a sudden rush of wind flew in, fluttering sand all around them, they both flew forward in attack.

Sasuke immediately settled chakra on the soles of his feet, steadying himself on the soft tumbling ground. Beside him, he sensed the surge of her doing the same. As the opponents drew near, he flipped backward along with the swishing sound of her cloak.

His hand brushed his bangs back as he blocked Kankuro's fist with his elbow. It seemed that they wanted to start the heat off with taijutsu.

His body shifted to avoid the kick, and he sent a spinning one of his own and smirked in satisfaction as his chakra filled sole hit Kankuro in the rib, erupting with a grunt.

Hinata was just a few yards away from the boys, having her own battle with the blonde. She had to admit, Temari was better than she expected. The girl before her was extremely swift and flexible, as if her own body was a fan.

Hinata swallowed a gasp as Temari managed to sharply elbow her in the shoulder. Regaining herself, Hinata strengthened her defense and crouched down. The opponent was already drawing her fist back for a punch, giving the cloaked ninja the time to flip back and send a kick towards the other ninja's spine.

Sasuke swallowed his own blood as Kankuro's fist connected with his jaw. Spluttering, he crossed his arms as the opponent forced him to go backwards. Frustrated, Sasuke gathered chakra into his legs and rolled in the sand in a crouch, getting behind Kankuro and sending a fierce punch towards the back of the opponent's head. Kankuro yelped at the pressure and flew forward, into the circling girls.

Gathering another surge of chakra, Sasuke flipped into the battle, coming to help Hinata who was defending herself under both Temari and Kankuro.

As Sasuke landed besides her, Hinata forced a shield of blue chakra around both of them, causing Kankuro and Temari to stumble back. That was enough for her to grasp the handle of her sword and nodded towards Sasuke, who in returned drew his Katana.

Sasuke and Hinata were back to back, both of them shifting as Kankuro and Temari circled them like predators. His onyx eyes narrowed as he kept a careful watch on them, gripping the handle harder.

Slowly, Temari picked up her fan and heavily swung it around. Instinctively, Hinata drew her chakra shield around them both again, and didn't fail to notice Kankuro unwrap his parcel. Hinata inwardly smirked as she saw the puppet.

_Sasori-sensei._

Quickly, Hinata drew her shield into a single strand of shivering blue chakra and whipped it outward towards the area that surrounded Kankuro. The boy's puppet fell limply and his eyes widened.

"You broke Crow's strings!" He was baffled, how did she know that he was arranging the strings in a web? It wasn't natural that she had cut through every single strand. Suna was the only place known for puppet masters; it wasn't as if she had fought one before.

She couldn't have.

Kankuro exchanged a glance with his sister before leaping back. His part was over, without Crow he really couldn't do much in the ninjutsu sparring.

Sasuke grinned as he saw Kankuro draw back. It was as if Hinata had read the attack beforehand. Now it was two against one.

The blonde haired girl narrowed her eyes, even more determined now that her brother was out of the way. Her laugh was heard as she watched both Konoha ninja tense. "Two against one, now that isn't fair."

She bit her thumb, drawing blood and slammed her palm on the ground, smearing the crimson over the sand. "I summon Kamatari!"

Hinata felt the Uchiha tug her back as smoke erupted into the training ground. Suddenly a tremendous gust of wind blew outwards, clearing the vision.

Before her stood an enormous kamaitachi. It was huge enough to ride, white fur bristling. Temari was at ease around her summoning, patting it and opening her iron fan once again.

Once securing herself on top of the weasel, she threw her head back and laughed. "Now it's even." The battle had just begun.

* * *

The sandnin did not even give her opponents to take in a breath before lifting her fan and screaming, "Wind Scythe Jutsu!"

A huge gust of wind flew through and Hinata and Sasuke locked blades, straining their chakra at their feet to keep both balanced. Not even a second before the wind had died down, the Konoha ninja flew forward, trying to cover enough distance before…

"Wing Scythe Jutsu!!"

Two purple dots appeared on the fan, and Sasuke had to grasp Hinata by her arm to keep his balance. He was running out of chakra, it was taking a lot out of him just to keep himself balanced on top of the sand as well as against the wind.

He let out a grunt as they both flew forward, covering more distance than before. They were almost there. He knew that Temari specialized in long range attacks; if they could get close enough to where she was on the other side of the training ground, they would gain an advantage.

Hinata was close enough beside Sasuke to see their blonde opponent lean down and whisper to the weasel before rasing her fan once more.

"WIND SCYTHE JUTSU!!!"

This time, not only did the strongest wind erupt from the fan, but it was combined with the burst of wind that the kamaitachi blew. Her chakra was faltering; the wind was too strong to keep them both up.

Suddenly, she felt the boy next to her tug on her cloak and she heavily fell into the soft sand, him hovering over her.

Suddenly she had a strange vision: _Sasuke hovered over her, his breath warm on her sweaty face._

Her thoughts were interrupted as the whistling wind died down, and she tilted her head back to see the sandnin holding out the large fan with three purple dots.

Sasuke's eyes were still closed, his mouth pressed in determination to protect them both against the wind. She lightly pushed herself up by her elbows, grasping him around the arms. He opened his eyes and scrambled up, giving her space to get off the sand.

Measuring the distance, Hinata wasted no time with brushing the grit off of her cloak, instead lunging forward in a final sprint. Sasuke was at her heels, and they completed the last few yards.

Hinata grasped the fur of the weasel and flipped herself up, landing directly behind a shocked Temari. She grasped the blonde ponytails in her palm and pulled them both down off the summoned animal, which poofed away immediately from the prod of a katana, courteous of a Sharingan activated Sasuke.

Hinata forced Temari on the ground, pulling the girl's arms behind her back with one hand and using the other to run the length of the blade on her neck, careful to draw no blood.

Temari grinned and admitted defeat.

Releasing her, Kankuro quickly joined them, both of them delving into a recap of the 'friendly' spar. The cloaked girl ignored them, turning towards her mission partner, whose eyes had faded back to the regular, cold onyx.

She couldn't help but think of the memory as he approached them. Where had it come from? What did it mean? Was it real?

When Sasuke was close enough, she nodded at him and held out her gloved hand. "Thank you for helping me, you did… good." She felt uneasy complimenting somebody like him, praising a weakling, but it was true. Especially when he _saved_ her.

Sasuke smirked but lowered his head, allowing his bangs to hide his blush. He was recounting him saving her as well… only through a different perspective. He grasped her hand firmly and they both bowed, but Sasuke didn't let go. Instead he drew closer to her and reached out a pale hand towards the hood of her cape.

Clapping from somewhere in the distance drew both of their attention. Sasuke muttered something about thinking there was a piece of sand on her cape and abruptly let go, stumbling back on the sand.

He looked towards the noise that interrupted the moment and scowled as he saw the Kazekage applauding their battle. _Damn._

* * *

Hinata raised an eyebrow under her hood as the Uchiha pulled her closer. What was he doing? Normally she would have swatted him away for touching her, but some instinct told her to go along with it.

Following his gaze, she saw Gaara and felt the heating sensation return. He was watching the whole time? How did she not notice his presence?

Hinata decided that it was due to her concentration in the spar and walked forward to greet the Kazekage. When she was near, she bowed, but was pulled back up by a hand on her shoulder. Gaara patted her on the shoulder and smiled.

These flutters were irritating. Almost as irritating as the Uchiha's scowl.

_**A weapon should be able to adapt to any kind of environment; swift as the fall winds, sharp as winter's ice, graceful as swaying spring flowers, merciless as the summer sun.**_


	21. Chapter 19

The air was comfortably silent, except for the cries of a young shinobi somewhere deep in the Kazekage Tower as his sister beat him up. "_KANKURO, WHERE THE HELL DID YOU HIDE MY BOOK?_"

Pages emitted soft crumpling sounds as they turned over with friction. Narrowed eyes skimmed over the small print, the grimace deepening with irritation and laced with disgust.

With a sigh, Hinata flung the book down on the covers, pushing herself up in a sitting position with her elbows. The book closed with a thump, revealing a pink cover with bubbly hearts just waiting to burst through. This was ridiculous.

Hinata was not an expert on seduction and the flirting that came with it as she was with a sword. The young woman knew the proper definition of letting down one's guard, breaking the exterior wall and then invading, but that was more military terms. When she needed more insight, realization hit that in the real thing, it created many twitches.

Every single book contained the same concept, with sickly perky smiles, giggles, touching. Feelings. Running a hand through her dark locks, she picked up the book once again, randomly flipping through the stiff beige pages.

Chemistry. Electric sparks. What kind of feelings were these? Described in the context as wonderful urges. Butterflies? How the hell do insects get in your stomach? Certainly these flimsy girls were not part of the Aburame.

The corners of her mouth turned down as Hinata tried to figure out a way to carry out the code. She was incapable of throwing herself at the Kazekage, the few hours they had met he had already seen her personality. It would be way too suspicious with a sudden turn of mood. Besides, she would rather refrain from being a complete fool with the obsequious giggling. The Hokage gave her a mission as guard; it would certainly not make her act look very tough with high pitched squeals.

But, the touching, maybe she could get somewhere with that. The books said electric. How to transfer sparks through human flesh, to make the object of seduction feel aroused… Suddenly, the corners of her mouth lifted in a hidden smirk. The open book's pages fluttered as the door slammed, the inside cover reading _Property of Sabaku no Temari_.

Thank you, Temari-san.

* * *

Sasuke leaned back on his chair, flipping a strand of hair as he watched the Kazekage patiently working away through the ironically growing amount of paperwork. The click of a pen, the ruffle of papers, and the Uchiha's deep sighs filled the room. To put it bluntly, he was bored.

In a denied spout of jealousy for the relationship between Gaara and Hinata that seemed to be getting closer in the insane part of his genius mind, Sasuke had offered to take the first shift of guard. Besides, he tried to convince himself, Hinata had already retreated into her room.

The first hour, he tried to be a good guard, his Sharingan activating at the slightest noise. But after that, he gradually tired from his paranoia and resulted to staring at the redhead who was expertly ignoring him. It was not as if they were friends, barely even on speaking terms.

So, the Uchiha was surprised when the deep voice of the Kazekage broke through the pattern of sounds played in the room.

"Hinata-san and yourself displayed remarkable teamwork during the spar with my siblings," Gaara did not even look up from his work.

Sasuke nodded, but realised that it was not seen, and instead replied, "Hai. I had battled her before, so we are familiar with each other's styles."

A moment of silence passed as Gaara made another looping signature and sealed a letter before gazing up at his guard, rimmed eyes glazed, as if he knew something.

"Hinata-san, she is not an original resident of your village?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the question, where was this going?

"Iie, she recently came to our village, just a few months before."

Gaara's long fingers entwined as his hands clasped together, the pen he was using resting neatly on the paper in front of him. "Forgive me for asking," Sasuke could have snorted at that, the formality between them lingered with the fact they still detested each other, "But, do you trust her?"

Sasuke's bangs fell in front of his face, hiding the widening of his dark eyes in surprise. Taken aback by the question, he could only robotically answer, "She is my mission partner. I trust her in duty."

Gaara rested his chin on his clasped hands, leaning forward on his chair. "Trust is a very interesting thing; it can be easily formed, just as it can be easily broken down. The fools are often said to be the ones who fling trust everywhere they should not while the geniuses are the ones who are cautious. Yet, what happens to the shinobi who bounds the trust? The one that everyone trusts with their life ends up being the same person who neither trusts nor does not trust. Tread carefully, Uchiha, but not too slowly. It is only in the matter of time-"

Firm knocks cut the kage off, who had already returned to the deed before him. Sasuke could only blink at the sudden burst of philosophy. What did he mean? Who was he talking about? Why was he telling him this?

_Was this some kind of warning?_

The door swung open to reveal Hinata, who was pulling the hood of her cloak lower over her eyes. Her mouth was pressed together, as if she was determined about something.

Sasuke shook his head, his spiky hair lightly waving. He was thinking way too hard. Raising himself up from the chair, the Uchiha brushed passed his partner, with the sudden need to nap off all of these thoughts floating through his head.

* * *

Hinata started moving as soon as the door shut, leaving only the two powerful ninja alone in the room. She stepped in front of the chair Sasuke had been previously sitting on and bowed in greeting. Sharp eyes acknowledged her, motioning for her to take a seat.

Straightening up, she lightly sat herself down on the chair, folding her hands on her lap. With a blank face, she stared at the working Kazekage.

Feeling her piercing gaze, he lifted his eyes once more from his work and tilted his head in question. No answer. Shrugging, he half-heartedly asked, "Would you like to help me with this?" A smirk slipped onto his lips as his guard immediately pulled the chair closer to the desk.

Rummaging through a drawer, he drew out a pen and pushed a nearby stack of papers towards her.

As she reached for it, she purposely brushed her pale fingers against his, slowly drawing her hand back after taking the pen. Carefully placed chakra seeped into his skin, emitting an almost inaudible gasp from the Kazekage at the electrifying jolt.

She pretended not to notice as she clicked the pen and began reading the first sheet. From the safety of her hood, she watched as his fingers still quivered, hesitating, before picking up his own and resuming his work. A streak of pink flew across his features, disappearing just as quickly.

It had been a rather risky move. The vessel would be unable to notice the chakra, too caught up in the pleasuring jolt running through the length of his nerves. However, the demon might have been able to notice the foreign chakra entering the body. She made sure that the chakra was thin enough to be barely noticeable as it melded in with the pleasure points of the Kazekage. Now she would be able to control parts of his nerves subtly enough to be considered as simply unusual behavior or emotions. His emotions would be her puppets.

A few minutes after they went back to the paperwork, they both looked up. Hinata mentally smirked as the man before her blushed deeply, lowering his face that matched his hair.

More touches, brushes, and blushes later, Baki came into the room with a knock. He carried a plate of food that must have been Gaara's lunch. Hinata helped clear the desk by neatly pushing the papers into stacks at the sides, producing just enough room. She took care to lightly touch the Kazekage on the elbow by 'accident' as she sat back down.

As Baki left the room, she released the chakra on his nerves. It had lasted an effect long enough that she did not have to manipulate his feelings any longer. They would probably come naturally.

Performing her duty as a guard, she quickly did a check over the food for anything suspicious or poison. Once reassured it was safe, she nodded at the kage, who immediately dug in. As he ate, Hinata twirled the pen absentmindedly in her fingers, looking out the large window the spread on the extent of the wall behind his chair.

It had a splendid view of Suna, the dark brown buildings melding in with the rolling sandy panorama. Her keen eyes squinted as she spotted a particular short building, squished between two large ones. It had a low balcony and seemed to be normal. However, perched on top of the railing was a small black splotch? The splotch started moving.

It came closer to the window, zooming by in a flurry of dark feathers. As it made its way to the horizon, Hinata nodded at the message. The extraction of the demon would occur tonight. She had to act quickly; apparently their stay in Suna had been cut short.

The cloaked girl drew her attention away from the window when something was nudged at her bandaged arm. Looking down, she saw that Gaara was offering her some fruit. An idea came to her mind as she gracefully plucked a deep crimson cherry from the platter.

It was time to move on up from innocent flirting. Because of the short time, she decided to jump right to the true seduction. Copying something she had read from one of the earlier books, she lifted the cherry to her lips, tilting her head back to give a clear view of her mouth.

Knowing that she had the Kazekage's attention, she slightly opened her mouth, the tip of her tongue touching the skin of the cherry. Slowly, she traced it in small circles around it, making it glisten as it turned moist. As her tongue drew near the stem, Hinata opened her mouth a little wider, grasping her teeth around the fruit and plucking it off the stem.

She swiftly bit the plump cherry. Immediately the juice burst like a virus, coating her teeth in bright red. Her tongues made quick work, licking it clean off. But she didn't stop the juice that dribbled to her lip, precariously on the verge of going to her chin.

The pink of her tongue slowly dragged on her lower lip, following the trail of juice the cherry created. As it went to lick the corner of her mouth, a single dribble of fell.

Pretending not to notice, Hinata raised her hand, slowly licking her fingers. Suddenly, a larger hand wrapped around her wrist, pulling her forward.

On the other side of the desk, Gaara's beautiful eyes glittered with thirst as he kept his gaze on her lips. He leaned forward, his hand cupping her chin as he wiped off the juice with his thumb. His eyes rose to meet hers.

Gaara felt a growl in his throat, the powers of Shukaku trembling on the verge of awakening from his lust. She pulled away from him, the corners of her lips tugging upward.

"Want to see a trick, _Kazekage-sama_?" Was her voice that sultry a few minutes ago?

She placed the stem on her tongue and moved it around, twisting it in a series of fast movements. Finally, she took the stem out of her mouth, revealing a neat knot.

She looked up to see widened eyes, darkened and swimming with, was that, hunger? He leaned forward, placing a hand on her cheek, and she couldn't move, unable to look at anything but the lips coming closer and closer…

_Slam!_

A vase fell off the desk. Regaining himself, he sat down as she kneeled to pick up the pieces, but not without leaving a lingering gaze on her form. Hunger gnawed at his stomach despite the fact he just had lunch.

The corners of Hinata's mouth lifted invisibly under her cloak with satisfaction. The demon was ready for the extraction. She had won over his interest, making the luring part of the plan a whole lot easier.

_Tonight._

* * *

"UCHIHA!! GET YOUR PRETTY ASS UP ALREADY!!"

Sasuke jumped awake, alarmed. The pounding cadence at his door hurt his sharp ears and he buried his head into the pillow with annoyance. A few seconds of more irritation, he brushed a hand through his hair and swung off the bed.

Grabbing hold of the knob, he opened the door to reveal a psychotic Kankuro murmuring a stream of curses under his break.

Rolling his onyx eyes, Sasuke leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms against his chest coolly. Raising his eyebrow, he interrupted the man with a steady, "Hn."

Kankuro slapped his hand on his forehead, smudging some of his face paint. "Because of you, we're going to be late!! Hurry the hell up!"

Sasuke didn't even bother changing, just shaking the wrinkles out of his shirt. Quietly, he followed Kankuro to the dining room.

The boy in front of him continued muttering and then stomped around, making Sasuke stumble back a little. "Okay, I need to warn you, the chef is sick today, which means…" Kankuro started twitching madly and spluttering.

"Which means?" Sasuke pressed, now curious.

"Temari is cooking," came the small reply. Sasuke gaped. The last time Temari tried to cook for him and Shikamaru, the kitchen cloth had been set on fire. They had to call a whole ANBU squad and a madly giggling Hokage to settle the fan wielder down.

Suddenly losing his appetite, Sasuke understood why Kankuro was so pissed. If he had to eat the girl's cooking only once, this guy actually lived with her! His bangs shadowing his expression, Sasuke stepped alongside Kankuro into the elaborate dining room, the table already set.

As soon as they had seated themselves in the cushioned high chairs, Temari walked in backwards carrying a two bowls of steaming soup. When she placed the bowl in front of him, Sasuke sniffed and realized it was asparagus with something black in it. Meanwhile, the fan wielder was sitting down after collecting the two sets of chopsticks from the other two seats.

As Sasuke looked at the liquid cautiously, he asked, "Kazekage-sama and Hinata-san aren't coming?"

Temari played with one of her four ponytails, shaking her head. "Apparently they are both _busy_ at the moment." She let out a snicker.

Sasuke almost dropped the bowl. "_Busy..?!_" His voice suddenly came out raw.

The blonde laughed tremendously, clutching her stomach. "HAH. You should have seen your face?" Her blue eyes were glistening with tears. "Hehe, sorry. But I never knew an _Uchiha_ to be jealous."

Sasuke sent a dark glare in her direction. "Tch. Jealous over what?"

She just shook her head, still smiling. "Nothing!" she sang.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and continued examining his soup, pushing it away when he saw the black thing move.

The siblings were arguing with each other, Kankuro still in his pissy attitude.

Sasuke interrupted, "So… what _are_ they doing?"

Suddenly, a huge siren rang through the building, almost shaking the floor with the loudness. The trio looked up each other, and the panic wasn't because of the soup.

* * *

Hinata gazed up at the dark sky. It was time.

She fastened her cloak in place, tying her sword securely on her back. Making sure all of her belongings were with her, the young woman jumped out her window.

Landing gracefully on the ledge, she counted the windows, having checked which one belonged to the Kazekage earlier. Double checking, she swung up easily, landing on the sill. Quietly, she rapped her knuckles on the thin glass, drawing the attention of the man who lay in bed.

Gaara sat up, his forehead slightly creasing in confusion. Dressed only in form fitting black mesh, Hinata felt that familiar heat return, before brushing away. She couldn't afford these pathetic reactions.

The redhead swiftly walked towards the window, pulling it open. Hinata crouched and gave him a slightly strained grin, leaning over. She wrapped her hand around his neck, touching his soft, messy hair, and she brushed her lips against his cheek teasingly. Pulling away with lightening speed, she dropped backwards out the window and landed below, running out into the city.

Hinata stopped at a nearby building, looking back to see that Gaara was following her. She waved her hand, motioning for him, before continuing to run.

Stopping several times, she put him up to a good chase. They went through the evening city, past the gates, and into the desert. The sun was completely gone, leaving silhouettes of the dunes against the navy sky. Gaara ran after her, blindly, mesmerized. Poor kage.

Suddenly, Hinata started to emit dark chakra. She turned towards Gaara, who was only a few feet away, eyes widened as if he was some somnambulist. The dark chakra increased, gathering around her in a violet glow. Raising her arms, it started to stretch in all directions, bursts of light.

As soon as she lowered her arms, a circle of people had surrounded the two. The people were dressed in similar dark clothes, imprinted with red clouds. Hinata's own cloak started to change color from the pressure of chakra, matching the other shinobi. Had Gaara been in the right state of mind, he would have recognized them as the Akatsuki.

One tall, dark figure came behind Hinata and placed a pale hand on her shoulder. Obediently, she let herself be backed away from the closing circle.

* * *

Sasuke clenched his katana as he ran between Temari and Kankuro. His hair was frazzled and face pale. It was an attack.

Baki had run into the room just as the last of the siren was reverberating against the tan walls, explaining hurriedly in his deep, choked voice. He said that the guards had spotted the Akatsuki not too far in the distance. Apparently the Kazekage and Hinata had already run off to face them on their own.

Temari had immediately been the first one out of the building. She whispered to herself, but Sasuke could understand. _The Akatsuki would kill Gaara, to extract his demon_.

They had to hurry. The Kazekage was not supposed to leave the tower like that, he was endangering himself.

Uchiha could not help but be a little suspicious about how the couple had left even before the guards had spotted the criminal group. Hinata was supposed to tell him; after all, they were partners.

Why did he feel a little betrayed? If only Sasuke knew the whole truth.

He snapped out of his thoughts as they saw a glimmer of violet in the dark sand distance, and he increased his pace along with the siblings.

Maybe… the avenger could not push that last thought out of his head, maybe, Itachi would be there.

Chakra enhanced his sandaled feet, and he became a blur as he raced forward.

* * *

The Akatsuki members murmured in strange chant as each had their heavily sleeved palms outwards, dark chakra glowing in even amounts. One member, masked in orange, stepped forward and pouted as he looked at the Kazekage standing idly.

"He has to be in sane mind for any of this to work. Be good boys and let's snap 'em out of it." His voice was oddly high pitched, on the verge of girliness.

As the man stepped back into the circle, another moved forward. His skin was tinged with blue and his tiny eyes were lifeless. With an easy heave of a titanic bandaged blade, he pointed it at Gaara's cheek.

Little by little, chakra started to seep out and over into the sword. It only took a few seconds, and suddenly, Gaara awoke with a start, looking around him with regained lively eyes.

His face showed no sign of surprise, simply expectation. A huge wave of sand appeared around him before the chakra light from each of the members jetted out, forming a cage. Gaara attempted to break through, pushing his sand outwards, only to find it bouncing back.

The members closed in, chanting filling his head. It fought with Shukaku's voice, horrid and deep. Gaara sank to his knees, clenching his head and screaming out with pain. The world was spinning, deep and gray. Pain erupted from every pore in his skin as the demon was awakened.

The Kazekage struggled with himself and the hurt he was causing himself. An invisible enemy inside his body.

"No…" He whimpered, crouching down so low that his flaming hair touched the sand.

"NO…" His deep voice cracked, melding with a tint of demonic.

"N-!!" He couldn't finish, the pain wrenching through him. His hand turned claw, his body became hardened sand. The human was crawling away, seeping away, draining…

Gaara's dark rimmed eyes closed, tears streaming down his face as his jaw clenched in an inhuman growl.

He knew he should not have trusted Hinata, he knew, even trying to warn Sasuke. But she was his way out… the way out for the demon from his body. If he died, at least he would die as a person. If he did not, at least people would cease to see himself as a monster.

He wanted to stop being the vessel, the weapon for the council. It was about time that the blade shattered.

Consciousness slipped, and he let out a blood-curling scream, a scream joined just as loud by Shukaku. Crumpling like a paper doll, the world was sucked into an abyss.

* * *

Hinata was pulled forward as she ran besides her master a good deal of distance away from the group. When it was just a speckle of violet, he stopped, grabbing her arm and almost knocking her off her feet.

Itachi turned to her, his eyes bleeding crimson. She bowed low, muttering, "Sensei."

The older Uchiha once again wrapped his spidery fingers in that familiar way under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. He once again dragged her hood down, wanting to see his reflection in those pale eyes. The eyes that had forever kept her bound to the Hyuga. To Konoha.

Just like him.

He lowered his face to hers, watching her stiffen as his hot breath kissed her skin. She was the perfect weapon. Hollow. Emotionless. Obedient.

"You completed your task," he whispered, his lips brushing her ear. He didn't compliment her, didn't scold her, just stated, as plainly as if they were discussing the weather.

"Hinata." His voice wrapped the name around in dark, dimming the sun. He grasped her shoulders firmly, straightening up and looking down at her, brimming with seriousness.

He was her master, he always was. She obeyed him even more deeply than Leader-sama. She was bound to him. She was in debted to him.

Because he was the one who rescued her from the cage called a clan. He was her savior.

_Scooping her up, he walked to the window, silently opening it. Only did he pause to scratch the cloud symbol beside the bed, and he jumped out, his black cloak with red clouds billowing behind him. (Prologue Part I)_

She was a fine warrior. A fine weapon. His thumb brushed her cheek, the hardened skin. The clay figure, finally perfected after eleven years of glazing.

"Hinata," the name rolled off his tongue silkily, "your task has been completed. But now, the greater mission remains. To rid our village, to rid Konoha."

_Our village. Together._

"I have been along with you up to this point. You are my student, even if you were taught by others. You are their weapon. You are my weapon." Itachi looked past into the distance, the violet light was slightly dimming.

_Mine_.

"My eyes, the Mangekyou Sharingan, the sacred bloodline of the Uchiha Clan. I am slowly becoming blind from this immense power I possess; my time is coming to an end." He let out a deep sigh, looking at the girl's still stony face.

He whispered, "I am going to die soon."

She only nodded, the fact could be acknowledged. Her master needed no pity, there was no shame in dying. In this case, he did not die because he was too weak. He was strong enough to accept the fact. Her respect for him flared in her chest.

"Uchiha Sasuke. My brother. Your partner. He also possesses the Sharingan. However, the fool shinobi is too weak to gain _my_ power." Hinata could not help but shift slightly, when her sensei had said Uchiha's name, it had some kind of _affection_ in it.

Affection was for the weak. Weak was not allowed.

"However, he will kill me. I will allow him to kill me. Tonight." Hinata's eyes narrowed, even if her sensei was blind, she did not think that her partner was strong enough to even lay a hand on him.

Itachi wore a frown, looking at her, but seeming to look through her. "This bloodline limit must not die with me. The Akatsuki still want it, they still need it."

_They? Sensei is acting as if he is not part of our Akatsuki._

"By Leader-sama's orders and my wishes, you must take the bloodline limit. I do not know how it will merge with the Byukugan, but theories back at the lab show that it will enhance in power, creating a new eye power. Stronger, even."

Hinata bit her lip, letting her bangs fall in front of her face to hide the perplexed expression. How were they going to…?

"How is the Sharingan even going to bless the Byukugan? For eleven years we have been researching on the method to carry out such a phenomenon," Hinata realized that she was in the Akatsuki for this very reason. This very moment had been planned the specified minute Itachi took her away from the Hyuga.

"We have discovered that the essence of the Sharingan can be transferred. Just as it had been transferred from child to child. From reproduction." Itachi's gaze hardened, coming back from the half gaze he wore before. "However, instead of a child, chakra will be applied. Enough chakra to carry the essence of my bloodline limit to merge with yours."

He did not ask her if it was okay to carry out the act, because he did not have to. She was the Akatsuki's most powerful weapon, soon to become even more powerful. She would bend willingly to any of their orders. It was not as if she was an ordinary kunochi who could accept and reject a mission at will because all she would lose would be money.

No, the Akatsuki was her life. Without the organization revolving around her, she would turn back into the porcelain Hyuga doll.

And so, Itachi crushed his lips to hers, roughly pushing her down on the desert ground. One of his hands grasped her small neck while the other went to her back, drawing down the zipper of her suit.

* * *

Sasuke jolted forward with a burst of tremendous blue chakra, catching Gaara before he could fall. Slowly and gently, he lowered the man to the ground, checking the wrist and finding a weak, but still existing, pulse.

Looking around, he noticed that the circle had broken up.

Temari was a blur of gold and sand as she fought viciously with the bright haired Akatsuki that he recognized as Sasori the puppet master.

Kankuro was holding off two men with his puppet fighting at his side. One looked similar to Naruto, with long bright yellow hair and a single visible sparkling blue eye. The other man looked like a shark and Sasuke's Sharingan activated as he recognized the tall figure of Kisame, his brother's partner.

The rest of the Akatsuki were already disappearing with transportation jutsu, leaving puffs of white smoke and coughing dust. However, the young Uchiha did not care much about them. He was looking around for any sign of the man who had ruined his life.

Just as he deactivated his bloodline limit, Sasuke saw a red haze in the distance, smoking towards the sky in great height. No wonder he had not seen it through the Sharingan, it blended right in with the red mooned world he saw through. Peering closer at the haze, a scream rang through the air. The Uchiha let out a raspy gasp, _Hinata_.

He bolted forward, shoving a figure holding a jar that glowed brightly with golden brown while doing so. His mind was focused straight forward as was his sprint. _Hold on_.

* * *

The whole sensation was filled with muffled pain for her. Itachi pressed his mouth against hers, vainly trying to keep her from screaming and drawing attention from the Shukaku extraction. It was very quick, yet seeming to drag because of the pain. The chakra that transferred along with the essence was not a pleasant process.

Her thighs felt as if they were ripped, and her eyes seemed to have been drilled open. Oh, it was her eyes that hurt the most. No tears escaped, she was incapable of doing such a petty thing like crying. Instead, she was blinded. Her whole world was a bloody, crimson blanket. She couldn't see, and it was only with her sharpened senses that she could actually function and pull it off as normal.

Itachi was no better off, from the way that he held her close. It seemed that he too lost his sight. Carefully, he helped pull her suit back and felt for the hood of the cloak, which was still on. Pulling it down as best as he could, he trailed his fingers over his face to make sure it covered her eyes well enough.

Both blind, they used their senses to communicate. Itachi managed to trail down enough and find her lips, He met them with his own by brushing against them and whispering, "You'll gain your vision back by the time the night is over. I will be gone before dawn."

Regaining herself from the pain and once again slipping back into her duty as an emotionless weapon, Hinata felt for his hand and clenched it, since obviously he could not see her bow. "Good-bye, sensei."

With that, the two jumped apart, lowering themselves into battle stances. It took a moment to make sure they were facing each other, but eventually they had the right idea and adapted to their other senses, making it seem so natural that a normal, or maybe even advanced shinobi, would not be able to tell the difference.

With a sigh, Hinata grabbed a kunai from her pouch and slit her abdomen, emitting a scream that would normally never come from her, had she not been doing it on purpose.

* * *

Sasuke finally reached the haze, only to gape as it suddenly disappeared. In place of the sight was none other than his mission partner and his brother.

Sticking to duty, he looked at Hinata, who was bleeding terribly. Her black suit was ripped in the middle, the shreds falling lightly on the sand with the fresh blood pouring through rapidly. The younger Uchiha ran forward, steadying her as she was about to fall on the ground. With his arm wrapped securely around her shoulders, he lifted his face up to narrow his eyes at the man before him.

There was Uchiha Itachi. The one person who massacred his entire clan. Whose acts turned Sasuke into an avenger. His once beloved aniki.

His brother's stance, though intimidating, was a little slouched, as if tired. Thin dark bangs fell in front of his eyes and his mouth was slouched in an exhausted frown. Hinata must have put up a good fight.

Lowering the said shinobi onto the ground in a sitting position, Sasuke drew out his katana, gleaming maliciously in the nightly desert atmosphere. With a brush of his hair and a leap, Sasuke had pinned the older Uchiha down on the sand roughly. Looking down at the face of the man he hated most, Sasuke gasped in horror.

The thin bangs of Itachi fell back to reveal not Sharingan eyes, but blank eyes, Completely white and lifeless, as if everything had been sucked out. No color, pupils, or emotion. It was not even the Hyuga pale lavender or gray, it was the truest white he had ever seen. Not innocent, but disgusting, scary, pure evil. Who knew such a light color could be so dangerous?

Itachi was not even trying. Instead he tortured Sasuke with the sight of his lifeless eyes. As if he was already dead. He did not squirm or move, just waited for his faith.

Sasuke's whole body shook as he took in the eyes. His breaths were uneven and his eyes felt teary. The weakest sensation had only been felt before when he faced his brother at the death of his clan. And now it was happening again.

Tearing his eyes away from Itachi's lifeless ones, he plunged the katana into his brother's chest, with fully aware of striking the heart.

His eyes clenched closed, and his jaw shivered. Sasuke refused to look back at his brother, and instead heard the very last words. "_The weapon turned master_." Though whispered, it was clearer than the night sky.

Sasuke stayed in that position for a few minutes, his hands clenched onto the handle of his katana and his eyes closed. Suddenly, his breathing cooled down and lifted a pale palm to brush back one of many sweaty locks that were plastered to his forehead.

Pulling the katana out with a grunt, he still did not look at the corpse of Itachi. Instead, he went to his partner, who was stumped low on the verge of unconsciousness. Lifting her up in his arms, he started to run once again, as the only Uchiha.

The sand blew in soft waves, slowly covering up the body of the late Uchiha Itachi.

Sasuke, as he ran back to the city, mused over the fact he was the only possessor of the Sharingan. Now he would have to revive the bloodline by starting a family.

How wrong he was. There was another who also had the powers of his bloodline right there in his arms.

_**The essence of the crimson eyes, just as red as the blood on his katana.**_


	22. Chapter 20

The unshapely sight of the city of Suna was a distant blur despite the fact that Sasuke had increased his speed. Cradling his partner in his arms, he felt the warmth of blood clearly flowing out from the wound. If it wasn't treated with immediate attention, she would end up losing too much, and put her in a far more worse state than she already was.

With no choice left, Sasuke slowed down to a stop, the rising sand puffs tickling his nose. If he could just wrap the wound, it would probably be able to last until he made it to the hospital.

Falling down to his knees, his bangs fell over his eyes as the young Uchiha looked over his shoulder at the Suna siblings. Temari and Kankuro were a great deal behind, the girl lugging an unconscious kage over her shoulder. It was expected for them to get a later start as they shooed off the last of the Akatsuki.

Which made him wonder, why had the criminal association retreated? It wasn't as if they could tell that Itachi was dead. Not that quickly… Or if they had extracted the demon, they still would not have abandoned one of their most powerful members, right? Besides, the group was more than a match; Sasuke thought bitterly; it wasn't as if he, Hinata, or the siblings were a threat with Gaara knocked out. In fact, they had been losing.

This day, this mission, was way too weird. Way too _precise_.

A small whimper, barely audible, escaped the injured girl's lips and Sasuke looked down in alarm. Shaking his locks clear of distractions, he gently laid the girl onto the sand, resting her head on his lap. Steadying her, he slowly, too slowly for the rush of blood escaping, shifted her so he see the wound.

It was large and messy, the gash running across her stomach, unable to tell where it ended or began from the crimson smudges. Her suit was shredded, bits and pieces covering some of the wound in vain.

Once again, Sasuke looked over his shoulder and saw that Temari, the _girl_ who should have been treating his partner, was still too far away. He would have to suck it up and stop acting like a child in order to save Hinata.

With one hand still cradling her head and the other reaching into his weapon pouch, Sasuke took out a tiny yet sharp shruiken, steely against the late night colors. To better access the wound, he would have to cut the top of the suit off.

The Uchiha's wrist slightly shook as he lightly ran one of the corners of his weapon down her shirt, gently pushing away the cloth as he did so. Cautiously, he cut off the pieces in the way of the wound, running it down until it just began her hips.

As his eyes unconsciously scanned her bareness, he was relieved that bandages covered up her modesty. A twinge of disappointment beeped in a perverted corner of the back of his mind, but for the sake of the situation, it bypassed.

Now he had to figure out how to keep the wound from bleeding any longer. Looking around, he noticed that she still had on her cloak. He looked at it thoughtfully, before ripping off the hem of his shirt, leaving his toned stomach bare.

Shivering as the desert air touched his skin, he lifted her gently to wrap the makeshift bandage around the wound.

As soon as he applied pressure, the blood started soaking through in dark brown splotches. Feeling the dampness of the cloth beneath his fingertips, it would have to suffice until he could get to Suna. At least it would cease the bleeding for a little awhile. Maybe if he ran faster…

Sasuke had once again gathered Hinata in his arms, carefully shifting her weight so he could wrap his own arm around the wound to apply pressure once he started running.

Just as he was gathering the chakra at his feet, a voice rang behind him, and the Uchiha once again looked over his shoulder while bringing the girl in his arms closer to his chest.

Kankuro was waving as he limped quickly towards them, Temari following in tow. Sasuke kicked at the sand in impatience while he waited for them to cross the last few feet that separated them.

"Phew…" Kankuro sighed halfheartedly, in his nature to try to bring humor out of any situation. "That was some fight, huh?"

No answer came as Sasuke examined the stony faced Temari, her eyebrows arched with worry over the boy that hung loosely on her back. Gaara's eyes were closed, confirming that he was deeply sleeping or unconscious. His hair fell in his face as his head rested on her shoulder, but the red strands could not hide the impression of deep pain that seemed to have been permanently imprinted on his handsome face.

Looking away, Sasuke glanced down at the second unconscious ninja of their group. Her cape, as usual, hid her expression and her mouth was slightly parted, letting out weak but existing breaths. Hinata's lips were slightly red and swollen for some odd reason, but the soft look of her mouth compared to her more roughly build was captivating. Instead of smooth skin, she had scarred, yet it was oddly-

The startled Uchiha let a yelp escape his lips as he saw that in his examination of her, eh hem, mouth, he had accidently shifted some of the bandaging ,and the bottom of his palm was covered with her fresh blood. The noise brought the attention of the Suna siblings, and Temari dropped her solemn look to adopt a pure worried one.

"Why didn't you tell me she was bleeding?!" Temari's eyes were wide and panicked as she was brought back from her brother's pain to reality. "We have to move now! She could be dying!"

Sasuke gulped as he gathered chakra at his feet and the trio sprinted towards the Suna gates. Suddenly, instead of being distant, it was drawing nearer and nearer as the blood soaked up the cloth down to the last thread. The warmth of it hit his cool fingers as he desperately tried to keep pressure on it while running as fast as he was.

The sand behind them whooshed in the nightly wind, brushing them with foreign coldness on their napes. Protectively, Sasuke wrapped Hinata's cloak around her more tightly, trying to keep her modesty as well as keeping away the cold. Looking up once again, the Suna gates drew no more closer no matter how much distance they covered.

That couldn't be right…

Suddenly, Sasuke stopped, the siblings also halting in confusion. Activating his Sharingan, Sasuke's eyes widened in horror.

They had been in a genjutsu the whole time.

Transferring Hinata over to Kankuro, Sasuke clasped his hands together and murmured, "Repel."

The night flashed with a blinding white and suddenly they were all in front of the Suna gates. The whole time they had been here, probably reached it ages ago, but they were caught in the jutsu. One of the Akatsuki must have set it.

His eyes faded from crimson and he slapped his hand to his forehead in anger. How could they have been so stupid?

But it mattered not; as they were finally here and it was time to get to the hospital as quick as possible.

Without even acknowledging the night guards, they burst through the gates and ran full speed through the empty streets of the slumbering city.

* * *

The Suna Hospital was shabby compared to the prize in Konoha under one of the best medic nins of the Fire country, maybe even all countries, Tsunade.

Just like the rest of the city, it was made up of beige walls and a low roof. There were only a couple of hallways and just as little rooms. To top it all off, the shamefully small staff was made up of poorly trained doctors and nurses. You couldn't blame the state the hospital was in. With a Kage who could not get hurt and a city that was called home by desert hardened ninjas, people were rarely to the point of never injured too harshly.

And so, it was not difficult to imagine when a group of frazzled and bloody ninja rushed through the hospital doors in hours where only the apprentices bothered to attend their night shift.

Wasting no time of explanation to the flabbergasted workers, Temari smoothly led them down a narrow hallway and confidently pushed open the door of one of the rooms at the end.

Nodding to Kankuro who was holding it open, Sasuke stepped in and observed the rather bland surroundings.

The room was tiny, just like the rest of the hospital, containing a crowd of four beds with hard mattresses. Even when Temari flicked the light switch, the room was dimly lit, enhanced by the moonlight that shyly poured in from the single large window.

The eldest sibling gently laid her brother down on the mattress, caressing his cheek with her thumb. His frown only deepened into a scowl as the redhead turned on his side, fighting invisible enemies that could be identified as nightmares.

Sighing, she played with one if her ponytails before turning away, her usual bright eyes glassy. With a side glance, Sasuke saw that Kankuro was hesitating in comforting her, as he wore a pained expression of worry as well.

The Uchiha was slightly confused but more curious. As ninjas, they should not have been expressing their emotions so freely. Besides, Gaara was fine, just unconscious. Why were they moping as if he died?

With a grunt of annoyance, the raven haired shinobi brushed past them, walking over to the bed next to Gaara and released his partner from his arms. Immediately, he heard Temari behind him, rummaging through the drawers of one of the low tables hidden in the shadows. As he parted the cloak and shifted the blood damp cloth on her wound, Temari dropped a roll of real bandages into his extended palm. She stepped to the other side of Hinata, meeting Sasuke's eyes, who did not realize that his own eyes were filled with the very same worry.

_Click!_

Both ninjas jumped as Kankuro left the room, probably to fill the staff in on their abrupt entrance. It brought the shinobi back to pure reality, both of their eyes freezing over with the determination on the field.

The fan wielder switched roles with Sasuke, both of her sand roughened hands pressing the sloth to the wound tightly. Meanwhile, the Uchiha was already unrolling a good amount of bandage, grasping both ends.

"Okay, on the count of three I'll remove the cloth, and it'll start bleeding faster than ever. You'll have to be quick enough to replace it with the bandage while I get towels to clean it. She can't afford to lose any more blood; even now, she is not completely unconscious."

Sasuke couldn't find enough breath to reply, his knuckles whitening on the bandages. There was too much risk involved, if only they had a medic nin…

"One."

He couldn't understand why he was so worried over somebody he barely knew enough to even consider comrade. Missions were missions, if a shinobi died, they die with honor.

"Two."

But there were too many questions, too many mysteries surrounding the girl in front of him. One day, she just walked into his life and the lives of the people of Konoha with nothing to say other than her own name. He couldn't let Itachi be responsible for the life of another…

"Three."

Sasuke stopped breathing as Temari slid the cloth into a ball, and he lunged down, covering the wound that was sure to be rushing more blood than necessary…

…but, the strange part was, it wasn't.

The bandage dropped from his hands and even Temari let out a gasp as they saw clean, pale skin. Not even a scar as evidence.

"N-nani?!"

In shock, they both hovered over Hinata, watching as a slither of black seeped from her belly button, liquid and thick, like paint. It ran curves and lines, expertly and possessed over her stomach, where the wound should have been. The strange paint substance stopped, revealing its form as a bird tattooed upon her stomach.

A single dark violet flash blinded Sasuke and he fell back, his conscious slowly slipping away. Through Temari's own screaming from the sudden light, his last thought on the blurring image of the bird.

The crow, the Suzaku.

The very image that could only be seen one other place, one significant place.

_Itachi's ring._

* * *

Hinata's eyes shot open, only to immediately close them as a wave of pain shot behind her lashes. In the darkness of her mind, her thoughts were dizzy, slowly but eventually coming to a stop. Once her peace of mind was regained, Hinata timidly blinked open her eyes, adjusting to the dim light of the room.

Her sight first laid on the still form of the Kazekage, only reassured that he was alive from the soft rise and fall of his chest. Narrowing her eyes, she wondered why the ex demon vessel was left alive.

That single question brought back the stream of memories from the night before.

_Seduction… dark chakra… Akatsuki… Itachi… eyes… pain… so much pain. Blood._

Blood.

Her hand instinctively went down to her abdomen, searching for the wound she created on herself. Only to feel… _skin_.

Looking down, she struggled back a yelp as she saw the Akatsuki membership symbol that belonged to her late sensei. Most members of the Akatsuki bear a ring when they gain membership.

In this case, Hinata was _branded_. Though a member she became, a weapon she would always be.

A surge of pride swelled up in her chest before just as quickly disappearing to the regular cold inner of her emotionless make up. It was considered an honor to replace somebody as powerful as Itachi was. But…

This only entrapped her further in the Akatsuki. It ensured no more ways out. Only till death, would she be free.

Of course, why would she care? The Akatsuki was the only thing she had. Konoha was just a mission; it would be gone by the end of her mission. The influence of the warmly weak village was creating doubts. Doubts were bad against the master.

Weapons did not need to think twice against orders.

Her hand rising to brush back her hair, she was relieved that the cloak was still in place while the top of her suit was… gone. Pulling the fabric around herself, she peered over the uncomfortable bed to see the unconscious forms of Sasuke and Temari.

Frowning, Hinata wondered how they had ended up like that. It was obvious that they were the ones who brought her into the foreign room, but what knocked them out?

Already growing impatient with the rather bland room, she peered out the recently discovered window into the distant sky blushing with dawn colors. Itachi had been right; her sight had been back in the morning.

Her sight, her _eyes_.

What had happened to her eyes? What was the form of the Byukugan and Sharingan merged together?

She raised her hands for the first time in over a decade to activate the Byukugan, but instead of feeling the rush of a vision sweep and the veins erupting from the sides of her forehead, she felt nothing. She saw nothing. Everything was the same.

Closing her eyes, she recalled the information Itachi had long ago given her on the Sharingan, and again, nothing happened.

If she didn't have the Sharingan or the Byukugan anymore, what did she have? Suddenly, Hinata was enraged. Her sensei had not died and given her the essence of his ability for nothing.

Chakra surged behind her eyeballs and the tips of her hand glowed with gray. The dim light of the room, the bodies of her teammate and Temari, and the sleeping form of the Kazekage suddenly warped into a different world.

Everything was shimmering and steely, a sense of coldness washing over Hinata. Details suddenly seemed a thousand times enhanced, almost as if a sketch. But what really drew her attention were the bodies of her human comrades.

In the Byukugan, Hyuga clan members inherit the ability of 360 degree vision along with the sight of chakra. However, it seemed that chakra was replaced with different colors. Swirls of smoldering red, tinges of complimentary green, a bit of yellow in the corner of Temari's head, navy brushing Sasuke's heart, and seams of white warping around Gaara's brain.

In instinct, she brushed her palm over the bed on Sasuke's chest, watching as the navy slowly wrapped around her gray finger. Suddenly, she was hit with a sweep of sadness and worry, her lungs seeming to clench and her mouth drying. Before she could further evaluate the strange vision, the world quickly warped back to the original and Hinata looked down to see her fist clenched but no longer navy.

Blinking a little, she had to repress a grin at her newfound ability. Recalling back to what had activated it, she applied a tiny wisp of chakra behind her eyes and her sight flashed gray before flashing back to normal.

Frowning, she applied a little more chakra than before, sighing in satisfaction as her sight went back to gray. Looking around, she noticed that it was just that. Gray.

The details, the colors, the figures were all gone. It was a blank sheet of silver, no longer shining. Almost as if she was blind again, only worse. All her senses were gone.

A moment and reality of vision was regained, colors reappearing, gray disappearing. The dawn sun was shining a bit more clearly, lighting up the room and reflecting on the metal poles of the bed.

Before she could try again, the door slammed open and a bubbly Kankuro stumbled in, clutching a brown cup and humming through his painted mouth. Quickly, she yanked down the hood of her cloak, not wanting anybody to see her eyes before herself.

His eyes widened at the sight of her and he widely grinned, causing her to almost wince from the brightness. "Moooorning, sunshine! Finally awake, huh?"

Pulling her cloak around herself, she only glowered, causing Kankuro to simply take a nervous sip at whatever concoction that was in his hand. Noticing her gaze, he only raised his cup and chirped, "Coffee?"

At the firm press of her lips, he could only sweat drop. "Okay, so no breakfast. Do you need anything?"

Already backing out of the door, he stopped at the sound of her voice, "A mirror."

Once he bolted out the door to do her bidding, Hinata looked at the unconscious forms of the shinobi on the floor. From years of practice, she easily swung her feet over the bed and lifted herself up, barely noticing the slight pain of her muscles stretching.

Contemplating whether she should put the shinobi on the two remaining beds, the cloaked kunoichi only shrugged and walked over to the window, gazing out onto the city in thought.

It had certainly been a long night and ended at the beginning of a new day. Immediately after her eye ability was gained, she was able to access it when with the Byukugan and the Sharingan it would take a few years.

But… what would this bloodline, this pure bloodline gain her? How would it upgrade her?

_**To see in a world of silver, as silver as a blade.**_


	23. Chapter 21

Her grasp on the handle faltered slightly as she examined the slightly finger-smudged surface of the mirror Kankuro had given her just a few minutes earlier before bolting out. The first glance had to be reassured by a second glance which had to be reassured with her fingertips brushing her lashes and it went on…

The eyes that stared back at her were _foreign_.

Under heavy lashes, an unsurprising steely gray set of large circles glared back. However, her eyes were not completely gray.

The pupils were _white_.

It was disgusting, white. The color of innocence, the pure pathetic weak color, the _good_ color.

It should have been black, something sinister, something evil, but no.

White.

From the thin, almost slit like pupils spidery lines of that similar color crept over the gray expanse. The edges of her vision were turning a bit dull with activation steel until her irritation had subsided into confusion and everything turned back to normal, just plain white pupils in clear gray pools.

Strange. It was as if at her irritation, the bloodline seemed to respond. Come to think of it, every time she had a surge of, disgusting as it may be, feeling, her eyes would activate into that world of great detail and color within people… or at least the shinobi within the room.

It was activated the first time when she experienced anger at what may have been sensei's death in vain. That time was a full dose of the world, where she was able to see what might have been, Hinata could not know for sure since it was so new, the full extent of the power. But, when she tried again, manually with the applied chakra, it didn't work. Vision turned plain, it was almost as if she was missing something, something that was preventing her from seeing behind the silver wall. A missing piece to the bloodline puzzle.

The young kunoichi wasn't raised to be stupid by one of the most powerful criminal groups. Her skills had been sharpened then rounded off on the edge, polished up before the chance of rusting could come. Her mind was open, closed to kindness and other weak items. She knew how to make a proper assumption, to put together what little information she had, and in the end she was usually… no, always right.

Being right seemed to be the core of the problem in such situations.

Because, it seemed as if her eyes were activated through _emotions_. Filthy, pathetic emotions of anger, acceptance, happiness, sadistic, sulking, joy, greed, humility, weakness. Beaten into her again and again was that very statement, _emotions were for the weak_. Feelings were another thing pulling back from true power. Weapons were not meant to hold such an independent feature such as an emotion.

It was pure, cruel irony that the very gift the Akatsuki had given her turned out to defy every moral they had set out for their weapon, their power. How could her eyes help make her stronger if they were activated through a weakness?

An appropriate stimulation would be required. Some feeling that could be harnessed to a point of a mere activation towards her eyes. Give her enough power to reach the full extent at the same time avoiding her from bonding with it. Reminding her of what she was, a weapon, an Akatsuki. Preventing her from weakening.

What sort of emotion would that be? Allow her to only gain and not lose. Strengthen but not weaken. But always hold her numbness, never let her go past the limit, tolerance required.

And yet… it seemed as if all her emotions had been torn away from her. There were those rare fleeting feelings that she could just not bottle up. However, those were weak human skims. If she was stopping low enough to even break down her emotionless exterior, at least let it be for an emotion of pure power. To enhance her, the blade.

What feeling did she have left?

Her memory flew away as her mind surged to obey the specific order. Trudging through the trench of history, Hinata hazily flew back into her childhood. At the sight of her residence in the clan that was once family, her fingers tightened on the slightly musty cotton of her cloak. The sand uncomfortably shook beneath her nails as she absentmindedly picked at them, her guard let down in the flashback.

_The young heiress, shamefully on her knees as the bashes from a scolding roughly voiced father and disappointed clan seamed through her young, too innocent ears._

_Her beloved cousin, one who had always tugged at her smaller hand in playfulness, suddenly slapping her outstretched arms away. Gray eyes darkened, so young, so filled with disgust._

_Her mother passing away, leaving her alone. There was nobody left for her, no reason to continue half hearted naïve hopes. Okaa-san's betrayal._

_She only left another daughter, her own younger sister. The sister who had killed her poor, traitor of a mother. Her adored mother. Hanabi was a murderer from the day she was born, gurgling with wet tears in the arms of a sickly corpse._

_What she felt… the one emotion that bubbled from the beginning event and went into an icy wall around what was left of her heart._

_Hate._

Hate.

She hated the Hyuga clan, she hated her father, she hated her cousin, she even hated her own mother for dying. And most of all, Hinata hated her sister for killing off the last of what she had loved in order to call her even remotely humane.

The day her sister murdered Okaa-san was the day she became the vessel. Not a year after the weapon.

As her flaming hate roared in the pit of her stomach and crept up the raw walls of her throat, it sparked behind her eyes, the vision changing immediately with a tremendous wave of chakra.

The gray world was back, every detail lined to perfection. No longer blank, she observed the unconscious shinobi for a second time, interested in the ranging colors. This time she could see more colors, as shades of gold aligned the white that sew through the Kazekage's mind. Further down, his stomach was a tint of cyan; she could almost feel the shivers of cold even from their distance.

With a bored side glance towards Temari, she concentrated her gaze on the Uchiha, whose 'colors' she had actually done something with. The navy was still widely terminating through his figure, but there were so many others, more than she expected there to be. A tributary of brick red broke through the center of the navy, which was aligned with a lighter green. His closed eyes glowed white while his head down to his fingertips were a royal violet.

After a few minutes of experimenting, Hinata pulled the chakra away from her eyes, returning to her normal sight. She lightly turned the mirror over and traced the smooth wooden backboard as she thought about the colors. It was one thing where she had figured out how to activate the bloodline limit, but what was it for? What use did it have to her to see _colour_?

Did those swiveling hues stand for something? Why were there different colors in those people? How come she experienced that strange sensation from touching the navy of Sasuke?

After tackling one question, it just raised yet another. Maybe she need help… somebody who could help her with these eyes. Sooner or later, she would have to reveal them. The cloak would not stay up forever.

At least these pupils no longer bonded her t-

_Crash!_

Bits of jagged broken mirror pieces flailed outwards on the floor, shining as they caught the light of the window she looked out of under cloaked eyes. Through the looking glass, several darkly dressed shinobi could be seen leaping from the buff buildings of Suna.

Heading straight towards the hospital.

And Hinata had a pretty good feeling they weren't coming here to serve breakfast. With an exasperated sigh, she patted down her spare suit, coming from the packs that Kankuro had graciously dropped off for herself and Sasuke. Shrugging both the bags onto one shoulder, she heaved her partner onto her smaller frame piggyback style, a feat that could not have been achieved had she not been under the Akatsuki's fist.

Collecting a bit of recovered chakra on her heels, there was no times to spare as she heard the thud of the entrance doors announce the arrival of the unmistakable Suna ANBU. With a last backward glance at the sleeping redhead, the cloaked girl went crashing out the window in a second flurry of broken glass shards.

* * *

The morning sun had yet to fully trudge its way into the desert sky as it weakly beat down rays of heat, pathetic to when it is fully awake at noon. Little clouds of dirty golden smoke mingled with the very rare clouds above.

Hinata was keeping an unbroken pace, sprinting further and further away from the city. It was barely noticeable now; unless you peeked through the fog of sand her swiftness was leaving to see a small smudge of black in the distance. Her breath was a little heavy, not fully recovered from the wasted chakra on her eyes along with the added amount to keep her running.

Suddenly, a small groan broke out of the tempo her soft padding feet was playing, and she immediately stopped, turning her head slightly to the side. The Suna ANBU had probably given up trying to match up to her pace halfway on the run; it was okay to take a break.

From the corner of her eye, she peered under her hood at the stirring Uchiha leaning heavily on her back. His forehead was nuzzled into the hood material of her cloak, and the crooks of his elbows were steadily held on her shoulders. His legs dangled somewhere down near her thighs, sometimes bumping into them when she took a stroke. Sasuke was an added weight, she would have to admit, but it did little to slow her down.

His dark bangs fell in a frame around his face as he blinked his eyes open, thick lashes fluttering from wide, tired eyes. His nose scrunched up as he yawned; turning his cheeks a soft rose before quickly disappearing. Stifling a smirk at the innocent, almost childish sight, she unhooked her arms, shrugged her shoulders, and greeted the resounding thump of her fallen mission partner with an amused nod.

Turning around, Hinata bent her knees to level with his own face as he lifted himself from a sprawled position to a lazily half sitting crouch. The shinobi busied himself by brushing some sand off his uniform, frowning at having been dropped. Shooting a glare at the hooded girl in front of him, he grabbed a handful of sand and without thinking, flicked it at her in annoyance.

They stared.

In almost slow motion through the eyes of the shocked boy, she raised her hand and brought it to her shadowed face under the hood. Rubbing her thumb against the brick of her nose, he watched as the gritty substance fell down grain by grain in the soft motion of her fingertips. Still watching the hand, he could only stare as the white palm scooped up a small mountain of sand. A ruffle on his head broke him out of the almost trance like state, and he grimaced as he felt the rough texture on his soft locks.

It could have been worse. He had thought she would actually pull that blade of hers out on him. _What was I thinking?! _But, now looking back, Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. It was pretty funny, in an idiotic Naruto kind of way.

Shaking his head free of the sand grime, he accepted Hinata's helping hand up from the ground and brushed the grain off his pants. Without looking up, he decided to break the silence and asked, "How long was I unconscious?"

"I believe it was only that one night. I happened to wake up before you. How did you get knocked out like that?"

The tips of his lips turned downward. _Oh, it seemed like some kind of freaky violet light flashed from your new tattoo._

"Over exertion. I had my Sharingan activated the whole time." Well, it wasn't a complete lie. He did need it on when he discovered that genjutsu.

"How's your wound?" Sasuke decided to act stupid and pretend he didn't see the whole process of that symbol playing over her abdomen, and just happening to be the exact symbol Itachi was represented by in the Akatsuki. He would find out eventually, right?

"Hn."

Shifting uncomfortably at the suddenly one sided conversation, Sasuke pressed on. "Did you check in with the Kazekage?"

"He was unconscious."

"Wait, so you just left?"

No reply came and he raised an eyebrow as his pack was flung at him. Shrugging the strap onto his shoulder, he quickened his pace to catch up with Hinata.

* * *

With an exhausted sigh, Sasuke flung down on the growing-to-be familiar sand as Hinata sat down lightly across from him. It was taking a lot longer to get back to Konoha, due to the fact that they both were still recovering. It wasn't exactly a good idea to start running across a blistering desert as soon as you wake up from what could have been severe injuries and a battle against a criminal group.

Unless you were Rock Lee, who just bubbled with energy.

But Sasuke had neither a green suit nor thick eyebrows, so he preferred allowing his tired body even a bit of rest. Besides, his mission partner was looking a bit flustered herself from the slowing pace.

Despite the fact both were not in their top conditions, being the experienced shinobi they are, they had covered a great amount of distance. The two would probably make it to Konoha early morning after a good night's rest.

The young Uchiha lay his head down on his pack, looking up at the darkening sky and enjoying the cool night air settle after a heated day of running and sweat. Running a hand through his hair, he crossed his legs and enjoyed the feeling of the soft sand makeshift comforter.

"Aren't you going to even bother giving me your half of the tent?"

He groaned under his breath and lazily rolled his eyes towards Hinata, who was already unpacking the pieces. Frowning, he waved his hand and said, "Iie."

"So you're going to sleep on the ground?"

"A ninja should be hardened to all environments."

She shot him a glare, knowing perfectly well that he was making up excuses. Kami, he was turning out to be an indolent replica of that Nara friend of his.

Looking down at the poles in her hand and then realizing that the Uchiha was not going to move his stubborn head off the pack, she replaced them inside the bag. At least it would take less time getting ready in the morning. In truth, she was as well extremely tired but that didn't mean she would flaunt such a hindrance.

Laying her own pack on the ground a few feet away from her partner, she nuzzled the side of her face into it, demolishing a grimace of irritation for the little bumps of the items inside it. Wrapping her cloak in a blanket fashion, she gave her back to Sasuke. Heavy eyes closed, relishing the restful moment, but her body refused to surrender to sleep. She was doing too much of it, anyway.

Both shinobi eventually replenished their tiredness as the comfortable silence between them whispered deep breaths in their ears. It seemed strange, how one mission had made the stoic couple suddenly talkative, to an extent. But Sasuke had saved Hinata, and in a debt, she became a little less sharp with him. And, she didn't leave him behind when she fled.

Unknowingly, his curiosity had overpowered his dislike, though rivalry still remained. He had seen with his own Sharingan eyes the moments when she showed the traits of a human. They had helped each other off their feet, instead of sweeping the other down and over.

A bond was forming, the mission was little by little crippling. It might not have been a bond of romance or even friendship, but nevertheless, it had been kindled. From another inch away off the tip of the sword, they stepped back, referring to each other less as complete strangers.

Through him, she was tying back to Konoha. The weapon was becoming heavier, harder to control. It would not happen now, nor the next day, but it was happening. The process had begun. The Akatsuki were losing her.

_**Unless they could find a way to stop the weapon from dulling.**_


	24. Chapter 22

Sasuke let out a relieved breath as the musky scent of soil and leaves filled his nostrils. His ears perked to the slight cracks as his feet hit and left the long branches in soft rhythm. His stomach bubbled with spreading warmth as sweet sensation wrapped over him. It was good to almost finally be home.

After his period as traitor and then coming back to the village, unwillingly, mind you, he became more attached to Konoha. He grew up there, and it was the one place he had ever imagined living in, and eventually dying for. The Uchiha clan was the Police Force of the Leaf Village anyway, so it only made sense that he would share their pride in protecting the village.

It was the one place where he belonged.

Sasuke took a side glance at Hinata, who was openly staring at him, probably wondering why he was so perky. He gave her a shrug and simply replied to the unspoken question, "I guess I'm relieved to finally be on something solid."

She only nodded, before turning back and looking at the distance threw the tiny weaves of branches. Sasuke turned his own gaze upwards as he looked at the sky through the leaves, watching full white clouds creep across the blue expanse. Hah, clouds were a sight he missed.

Kami, he was turning into Shikamaru.

As he leaped a particularly wide distance, his thoughts turned to the cloaked girl beside him. He thought about how attached he was to Konoha, he would never be able to leave his home. But, here she comes, seemingly from the Mist. Hadn't she had a village there, somewhere she grew up? A family, friends, anybody that she ended up leaving when she came here? Was it difficult for her to leave?

And yet she came here, easily slipping into the village ways as if they were her only ones. She never talked about anybody, not even mentioned a past friend. Heck, he doubted that Ikustaka was even a clan.

If he squinted his eyes just a bit, he could make out the glint of metal from the towering entrance gates. They were almost there.

* * *

Sasuke landed swiftly to the dirt path, craning his neck back a little to look at the large gates. It felt like they were in Suna forever, even though it had only been a few days.

He just couldn't believe that one of his goals had been completed within those few days. He had killed aniki, his brother, Uchiha Itachi, the person responsible for the massacre of their clan. Itachi was actually gone, dead by his own hands. Sasuke had struck the last blow.

And now, what was he supposed to do? Perhaps work on restoring his clan, though that sounded a little far fetch. He had no choice but to wed now. First, he had to look at _girls_. It felt strange.

And yet, why did he still have that hunger for more? He still had to get stronger. Sasuke almost jumped as Hinata's soft thump behind his broke him out of his thoughts. Hinata. It was because of her, he still had that rivalry against her, and he still needed to show her that he was strong.

He still had something to prove.

If Sasuke had been a bit more alert, he would have wondered why Hinata's movements were so cautious. She was tense, already expecting the danger around her.

It was to be expected, she had nearly blown her cover with the Akatsuki back in Suna. The sand ANBU has already pieced it together, knowing that somehow she was responsible for their Kazekage's near death. Gaara should also have woken up by now, and he was smart. He would have immediately alerted his blonde friend about her.

So, Hinata did not move when the familiar dark cloaks of ANBU surrounded the pair. She held up no fight, knowing that suspicion had already risen, and she couldn't afford to confirm such a thing. She was no fool, they had no proof.

Sasuke on the other hand, well, he might not have been at her level… wait, he _wasn't_ at her level.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? We're Konoha ninja!" He sneered, angry that these ninja were wasting his time.

They didn't move away as he had suspected, instead only drawing closer. What was going on?

"Move out of our way, that's an order!"

A tall ANBU stepped forward, his hawk mask covered in red markings. The way he carried himself was almost familiar.

"You're not the one with the say anymore, _Uchiha_."

"What the fuck are you talking about, this is my team, and I'm their captain."

Hinata's eyebrows shot up under her cloak. Sasuke was an ANBU captain? She wouldn't believe it from the way he had sparred with her, but then again, he did save her.

"You've been demoted. Now move out of the way, you're not the one we're looking for."

"What would you of all people need with her, Hyuga?"

Hinata's shoulders jerked, this couldn't be-

"That's confidential, Uchiha, something that you don't have access to anymore. Now move out, or we'll have to make you move."

Sasuke just stepped in front of her, his fists clenching as his eyes turned crimson. The ANBU before him only let out an exasperated sigh.

"Now-" Sasuke gasped as something hit the back of his head and he fell forward, unconscious. Hinata lowered her hand and crossed her arms under her torso. She was willing to go with the team without a fight.

* * *

The room was small and dark, with a flat table and a weak lamp. She had been forced onto a stocky chair with chakra binds that went around her ankles and wrists. Hinata had not put up any sign of struggle, which made the ANBU even more suspicious when they led her in. All was silent except for the slight murmuring outside the door, probably the guards.

With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes, mentally in peace. Having lost track of time, she was growing a little impatient. Her plan had been formed the moment she had landed behind Sasuke and she was eager to carry it out as soon as possible so she could get out of here. There was one particular person she had wanted to meet up with, and with the way things were dragging along, there probably wouldn't be enough time before sunset.

The door flew open silently on grease hinges, and Hinata winced a little from under her eyelids at the wave of light that came crashing into the dark accustomed room. Several pairs of heavy footsteps entered as the thud of the shutting door resounded, muffling the movements of the feet following in line to different directions of the small area.

Hinata's mind turned in gears as she flew threw her plan once again, watching without seeing. It wasn't until the heavy thud of two hands hitting the table reverberated against her thoughts, did she slowly open her eyes.

A rough man stared deeply at her, his eyes cold and analyzing. His face was darkly tanned and broad, with a stout chin. He was dressed in dark bulky clothing with a cloth covering his scalp, secured with the village headband. The most curious thing about the bear like man were his scars.

Two large scars ran along his face, jarring the skin. One of them touched his mouth, which was pressed tightly in serious thought. His thin eyebrows were narrowed, and Hinata blinked in recognition.

"Morino Ibiki."

Her whisper didn't pass by the man, who's lips twitched into a sneer. His equally rough voice did nothing to intimidate her.

"Hai, I am Morino Ibiki. Commanding officer of the Konoha ANBU Torture and Interrogation Force. But I bet you knew all about that, eh, Hinata Ikustaka?"

She didn't let the shivers run down her back, knowing that with this man, she would have to stay stoned. She should have expected that they would send this man out of all the interrogators to deal with her. Oh well, this would just make it all the more fun.

"Hinata Ikustaka," his voice hissed out, testing her name, "if that really is your name." Ibiki sent a large hand into his pocket, searching for a few tense seconds. From it, he withdrew a small but thick book, dropping it in front of the unmoving girl.

Watching her carefully for even the slightest reaction, he slowly turned the cover of the book, revealing the first creamy page. Every second ticked by as page after page the book turned, bearing ninjas of all ages, specifically, criminals.

Hinata could only watch as the pages came slowly and slowly towards the end. With one more flip, Ibiki ran his thumb over the page, smoothening it. The large print was unmistakable as an uncomfortably familiar picture stood out dully.

It was none other than her younger self, Hyuga Hinata.

Ibiki smirked as he saw the slight, too swift movement of her shin lift barely a centimeter as her cloaked face leaned down at the book. It was a sign, she recognized it.

He pushed the book towards her, snaking it down to the edge of the table. "Hinata Ikustaka," he repeated once more, "do you know this young girl?"

"She was once the heiress of the Hyuga clan, one of oldest families of Konoha. A shy, small creature that loved everything from pressing flowers to helping make ointments, just as a little girl should. But, that's not what an heiress should be. Throughout her own clan, she was known as being _weak_." Hinata turned even stonier at this, the memories of her mocking starting to whip the dark.

Taking no heed at her stillness, Ibiki continued, "A weakling she was, as said her father, Hyuga Hiashi.," Hinata felt her stomach ache at his name, "who was the leader of the Hyuga clan. His twin brother, Hyuga Hizashi, was sentenced to the Branch family. Did you know Hizashi-san had a son? A son who went by the name of Neji, elder cousin of Hinata. Neji was everything Hinata was not, he was a prodigy, he was worth being a Hyuga. He was also, at one time, her best friend, up until he got that painful curse seal. But what Hinata didn't know was, even at the curse seal, he still didn't hate her completely. He only hated the Main family, as a Branch member should."

The interrogator paused, letting the information sink into her. He cleared his throat, his voice almost mockingly polite, "Oh, pardon me. You probably don't know anything of his Branch and Main business, I mean, it's not like you were part of the Hyuga clan nor Konoha. Shouldn't you be unfamiliar with their traditions?" Hinata only nodded her head, not trusting her voice this time as he verbally tore her down through memories of the clan she had sworn to hate.

Not bothering to press further, he only shut the book, securely tucking it back into his pocket. His cold eyes never left her form.

"No, Hyuga Neji loved his cousin," Hinata's throat felt raw all of a sudden, she wasn't giving up, she would live this out like a pure Akatsuki. Stick to the plan, stick to the plan. "he only turned his hatred when she murdered his father."

Hinata's head jerked up fluidly, and Ibiki smirked at her reaction. "Oh, that caught your interest, didn't it? It's amazing that you didn't hear about the kidnapping, being the intelligent informed ninja you make yourself appear to be. Hmm, around eleven or so years ago, little Hinata was kidnapped. The poor child was too weak to even defend herself. From what we know, it was the Cloud who had taken her. Obviously, the Hyuga clan were concerned about the incident, more so on protecting the secrets of the Byukugan. When Hiashi killed a Cloud nin, the village struck back by demanding a Hyuga member for the death of their own shinobi. Having no choice, the Hyuga clan tricked them by sending in the exact copy of Hiashi, or rather his twin, the sealed Hizashi."

Hinata's eyes widened, she had been the cause of her uncle's death? She had caused all that pain to Nii-san? It was too late. She was beginning to feel remorse, she was beginning to feel. This was a setback; she didn't believe that the blows would be this hard when she first came up with her plan. All she wanted to do was leave, complete this mission, and go back to the Akatsuki. She was the perfect weapon… she wasn't supposed to have chipped off like this.

She… she had hurt Neji the same way that monster of a sister had hurt her mother.

An unfamiliar, raspy breath tore past her lips, her cheekbones seeming to ache and her neck feeling as if it were to crumple. In her state of vulnerability, her act had been covered up by the deep growl coming from a particularly dark corner of the room, and Ibiki's previously unwavering attention had been broken. Morino looked up as the ANBU Sasuke had been retorting to before stepped forward, the hem of the cloak just touching the ground.

"You of all people should stand by protocol and know better than to interrupt an investigation," the interrogator's voice was smooth, laced with irritation.

"My apology, sir, but in the right of my privacy, I would hope you wouldn't openly discuss such a… topic."

"You're speaking out of line, and privacy doesn't matter when it comes to this situation."

"But-"

"Hyuga."

The ANBU was silenced and Hinata's finger twitched in recognition. Speak of the devil-

"You know exactly why this is going on, you know why this is necessary. If you can't handle being a guard, step out. Actually, we don't require you here right now. That's an order."

The figure bowed his head and turned to leave, not before looking back at Hinata. His hand rose to his mask, and in a flash of a second, Byukugan eyes clashed with hers. The door swiftly clicked close, and Ibiki returned his gaze to Hinata, only to be puzzled at how realized her position was, even more than before. It was as if she had completely wiped off all of her previous reactions.

He cursed, at the realization that he was back to square one. Sighing, Morino beckoned yet another ANBU stationed in the room, asking for them to bring in another chair. This was going to be a long day.

What the great interrogator hadn't seen was the exchange, which was the very thing that brought Hinata back after all those struggles. When her own enhanced eyes met the familiar Hyuga ones, her bloodline limit had activated at the rush of emotion. Through the world with so senses, she had calmed in a matter of seconds, and her flow of chakra had been seeped up just as quickly into those binds. It had been enough, and she was once again emotionless, reveling in the returned strength. Back straight, chin high, she wouldn't let the same mistake repeat. At least, now she knew what she was dealing with. As her fingers twitched again in the chakra bind, Hinata confirmed that she would have to work quickly.

The plan was back on board.

* * *

"-any update on how-"

"They are interrogating-"

"Has she cracked-"

Whispering and dark mutters discreetly stirred his eyelashes as his fists clenched in annoyance of having to wake up. His body felt too heavy to lift and his ears perked up to a familiar low humming.

Sasuke knew well he was in a hospital room, with its white walls and stiff bed. It was definitely Tsunade's prized hospital of Konoha, but he couldn't sense any of the nurses in the room. Instead, he sensed powerful chakra coming from the deep voices, men.

Still adjusting to consciousness, he felt sluggish and knew that if he opened his mouth, it would permit a nasty dry taste. As the rest of him started to wake up, footsteps drew near his bed, causing the whispers to become irritatingly louder.

"-look he's waking up."

"Should we tell-"

"Be quiet."

Hushes followed as the room once again became silent, Sasuke scowling as he felt pairs of eyes on his form. Fluttering his eyelids open, he saw the blurry beginnings of vision as white walls and human figures separated. Pushing his elbows against the mattress, he supported his upper body up, groaning as tired muscles stretched. Wincing, Sasuke pulled himself to an upright position.

"Yo, take it easy, Sasuke-kun."

"Teme, you're alive!!"

Sasuke raised his head and immediately flinched at the bright orange glob that greeted his tired vision. Cursing the Hokage and his choice of colours, he noted that Kakashi was also there, with his masked nose stuffed in the ever present orange book.

Easily tuning out Naruto's loud gabber, Sasuke looked past his sensei and former teammate to look at the bland walls, thinking. Thinking led to remembering, and his eyes widened as he remembered what had happened before the darkness took over.

"What happened?" He sharply cut Naruto off, who was left blinking his bright eyes in confusion. Kakashi had suddenly turned a little too still while reading his book.

Holding back a growl, Sasuke repeated, "What _happened_?"

Naruto raised his hand to scratch the back of his head, still uncharacteristically silent. Did he think Sasuke was stupid or something? He was his teammate for years, and Sasuke knew his habits, especially when it came to lying.

"Well, you fainted."

"That's obvious, dobe. Why else would I be here? I want to know what happened before I went unconscious."

"Hinata-san and yourself made it safely to the gates…"

"Cut the crap, Naruto, and tell me the truth."

"Enough." The two shinobi were close enough to send sparks flying, and turned to blink at their sensei, who had tucked his book back in his pocket. Kakashi's one visible eye was noticeably tired and his mask was wrinkled in a frown.

Hatake sighed as he pulled his students apart from each other. This day was not shooting off to a good start.

"Sasuke, mind your respect to the Hokage." Kakashi ran his fingers through his silvery hair, almost as if in defeat, the Uchiha observed. "Naruto, jut tell him the truth, there's no use hiding it if he was there when it happened."

"Fine." Naruto muttered bitterly as Sasuke's mouth twitched into a smirk. The blonde Hokage seated himself at the edge of his old teammate's bed in a ruffle of robes.

"First of all, what do you remember?" Sasuke turned his gaze back to the wall as he frowned once again, straining his mind for those memories.

"Hinata-san and me, we were running in the woods. I jumped towards the gates first, and she was being careful for something. Next thing I know, ANBU surrounds us, and the Hyuga starts going on about how he replaced me as captain… hn! That reminds me, why the hell did you strip me of my position?"

Naruto just calmly waved off his question, motioning him to continue. The Uchiha let out a glare at the normally bubbly listener, but went on, "And then, the Hyuga keeps telling me to move, claiming that he has to arrest my mission partner. I didn't believe he was telling the truth, and I wasn't going to let them take her unrightfully like that. The mission is not over until we meet with the Hokage, you, Dobe-sama. Next thing I know, I felt pressure on my head and I assume that's when I was knocked out."

Kakashi just nodded, as if he was expecting everything Sasuke said while Naruto… Naruto had an almost foreign, calculating gaze as he looked at Sasuke, supporting his chin with the palm of his hand. In response, Sasuke simply tilted his own head, waiting for the blonde to do what he did best, speak.

After a few minutes, Naruto nodded at Kakashi, who decided to take over as his Hokage busied himself with his thoughts. "Actually, they had a right to arrest your mission partner. It was a direct order from us."

Sasuke's mouth slightly dropped in surprise, as he turned accusing eyes towards Naruto, who was still too tightly wrapped in his own world to notice. "Nani? Why would you do that! She hasn't done anything bad so far, in fact, she's probably the best thing this village could get with her being so strong and all. …even stronger than myself." He muttered the last part under his breath. He couldn't believe that they would arrest her after all the troubles in Suna. Was it because she didn't get the Kazekage's permission to leave? But even then, they wouldn't go to the measures of having the ANBU restrain her. The girl was always suspicious, but he never though she was criminal.

"Ne, calm down, Sasuke-kun and let me speak. Don't you want to know why we arrested her?" Sasuke ceased his muttering as he looked at his sensei expectantly. "Well, we have a suspicion that she might be in league with the Akatsuki."

"Iie." Sasuke whispered in disbelief. "Iie, that can't be true. She helped fight the Akatsuki, even aided me in killing Uchiha Itachi."

"NANI?" Naruto seemed to have come back when he heard this. "You… you finally did it!? You finally killed the person responsible for the massacre of the Uchiha clan, your own brother?" Sasuke only nodded as the Hokage's eyes grew in awe. "Wow, teme… I guess you can do something. This calls for ramen!!"

In a golden blur, Naruto had already raced out of the hospital room. Sasuke just ran his fingers through his hair, partly glad that his teammate hadn't changed and pride swelling as he thought about how he accomplished one of his life goals.

"Come on; let's head out before Naruto-kun realizes he has no money with him." Kakashi was already drawling towards the door, but Sasuke grabbed his arm before he could escape.

"No, you still haven't told me why you're so sure that she's Akatsuki. You have no proof, only knowing that she helped in the attack against them."

"Tell me... why do you care so much?" Sasuke stiffened in surprise at that question, not exactly knowing how to respond.

"I heard you've been in the library a lot. Next time, why don't you check the Bingo book and then tell me your thoughts on what you find. Until then, if you're going to kill yourself in trying to find out where Hinata Ikustka is, don't. She's in interrogation."

"Interrogation?" He had rendered himself to speak, shaking that previous question off for the time being.

"Un, with Morino Ibiki."

As Sasuke flinched at the name of the bear man, Kakashi has already disappeared. When he looked up again, he saw a note on the door.

_Don't worry about your replacement for ANBU, you've been promoted._

Sasuke blinked in wonder as he stared at the messily hurried handwriting of his sensei.

* * *

Morino Ibiki is considered a genius, cruel perhaps, but a genius when it comes to breaking down the walls of the human mind.

He is always successful, and when he really tries, he can get the information they need, no matter what.

But, Morino Ibiki was also perplexed. He had the girl in the palm of his hands, he was sure he had broken her down from the inner cage. She was on the verge of losing it, she was going to talk. But… how is it possible that the moment he turned away, she rebuilt those walls again, only sturdier, thicker, stronger, making her completely calm, mute, and void.

Having studied human psychology, he also knew that somebody couldn't lose their emotions like that so easily, gaining that perfect control. She had already strained her self control when he hit her with the first blow, but not enough to confirm that she was indeed who they suspected her to be.

And that was exactly what Hinata wanted.

Ibiki was under the impression that she was completely regained and cool, but all in truth, she truly wasn't doing that much. Instead, her major concentration was on the chakra binds. She was only thinking about the chakra binds, feeling the chakra binds, seeing the chakra binds. All her consciousness was focused one way on a single thing, dubbing her numb to the rest of the world. No longer did she hear any of the memories and no longer did she try to focus on too many things at once. With baby steps, she was slowly freeing herself. That was the true power of being emotionless, to manipulate yourself into a vessel of air, so that nothing can affect you and your mind would only be focused on the task.

The Akatsuki were truly genius.

Wearing emotions or depriving yourself of them wasn't just for a simple show, as many people mistaked it as. It's a weapon to aid you through the opponents and get to the prize. The possession of self discipline is one of the most overlooked yet useful traits.

And so, Hinata was slowly carrying on her plan, refraining from making the same mistake as before. Before, she was thinking one step ahead instead of concentrating on the current ledge. Now, she could slowly, but definitely surely, move forward without falling off the cliff.

And, with this new state, she knew that Ibiki was beginning to think a bit too hard. She was forcing him to think too much, so that he'll only end up with the wrong, but on her part right, conclusions.

And that was exactly what happened.

Ibiki drew out the final card, as he motioned once again for one of the ANBU. As the cloaked figure glided across the room towards him, he motion for them to lean down and whispered hurriedly in his ear. Hinata took no notice, she couldn't notice.

So, even when the door slowly opened and the light flooded in, she didn't react. When three pairs of footsteps came in, she didn't hear. As the ANBU member stepped aside and unblocked the view of a tall man and a young girl, she didn't see. When she realized in the crevice of some aware part of her mind that this was her father and her sister, she didn't feel.

For, if she had been in the same state as she did when she let that disastrous mistake appear, she would have probably revealed the now broken chakra binds and lunged. Wild for one time of her life, sneering like an animal and tears burning the tender skin under her eyes. She would have grabbed a hold of that murderer who she called a sister by the small neck, slammed her across the wall, and scratched her face as she watched the blood pour down. Her father would have tried to save his precious heiress, and Hinata would laugh. Laugh madly and loudly as she kicked the corpse to the broken father. The high and mighty Head of the Hyuga Clan.

But, she didn't. Instead she just blankly lifted her head, staring straight at the father and daughter, who both wore similar looks of expectancy and their Hyuga trademark eyes glinting with slight nervousness.

It was amazing how much Hanabi resembled her father. Long chocolate hair, slightly tanned skin, cold pale eyes. It would be all the more pleasing to kill her. But that wasn't the mission, so it would have to be another day. Hinata had to unconsciously calm herself once again by promising that she would be the first to attack the Hyuga on the day the Akatsuki invade Konoha.

Deliberately, she tilted her head, making it seem like a move of no recognition, when really she was taking a better look at the left chakra bind. Ibiki let out a grunt of disappointment and confusion. If she was Hyuga Hinata, she should have done even something. A blink, a twitch, or even become stiff. But she did nothing!

When the ANBU escorted the useless Hyuga out of the room, she satu up straight and spoke to the irritated Ibiki.

"Well, as fun as it was to hear your stories about some grand clan in Konoha and even see a real Hyuga man and child, I really must be going now." With one last twitch of her fingers, the chakra binds released and she gracefully stood on her feet, dusting off her cloak.

The ANBU around the room were already moving forward, but Morino remained seating. She leaned over the table close to his face and whispered, "Genius, I believe you said my name wrong. I am not Hyuga Hinata nor am I of any acquaintance with the weak child, as you put it. Because…"

She lifted her hood down slowly, meeting her eyes with his. "…if I was a Hyuga, wouldn't I have the Byukugan?"

She smirked when his jaw dropped at the sight of her steel eyes, the merge of the Byukugan and Sharingan. As she once again lifted her hood over her face, she easily slipped past the shocked occupants of the interrogation room, knowing well that Konoha wouldn't trouble her with their suspicions any longer.

As she maneuvered her way through the Hokage Tower, went through the entrance door and noticed that it was only the afternoon from the sun beating down her back, Hinata broke out to a run. She had an appointment at the library.

* * *

Sasuke gently opened the library entrance door and lightly stepped in, his footsteps reverberating off the high walls in the chamber of books. He had checked out of the hospital and been cleared, with the promise that he wouldn't push himself too hard. He was still biding to the hospital's plea, reading wasn't necessarily that straining. The library was a single wide room filled with shelves upon shelves of books, containing information on the history of the village to other villages, such as the Mist, as he researched before.

In peace with the familiarity of the room, he proceeded to head down the aisles, his mind ringing with Kakashi's advice to take a look at the Bingo book. The book was indeed given to all ANBU members and Jounin, however, he wasn't one of the people who carried such a thing around, thinking it as a hindrance. The only criminal he was after was the one assigned on the mission.

So he wondered if by some stroke of luck, he would find a Bingo book in the library, despite the fact that the Hokage always gives it out to the selected few ninja by hand. As his hand thumbed through the spines of the books easily, Sasuke became aware of other presences in the library.

It wasn't a threatening pair of chakra, in fact, mostly calm and no guard was up. When he sensed how familiar each of the set were, Sasuke didn't resist masking his own chakra and silently creeping towards the low muttering across the room, clearly heard since the library didn't have any other visitors on such a warm day.

Hinata observed the young man in front of her, pouring over a pile of open books. He was dressed in a tight black shirt and his hair was extremely thin, softly falling over his face in long locks. On his lap was a unfurled blank scroll and paint brush, however his hands were too busy flipping through pages.

"Sai of Root."

At the sound of her voice, the shinobi sharply looked up, his face completely blank as he dipped his brush into the paint and placed it on the paper's surface. In a flash, Hinata appeared behind him with a firm grip on his wrist.

"Who are you, Shadow?" He muttered in monotone, referring to how her hood shadowed her eyes.

"Hinata Ikustaka, one of the newer shinobi of the village."

"Well, Hinata Ikustaka, why are you disturbing my reading time?"

"Tell me, why are you reading about emotions when you have none?"

Silence. It seemed that he was taken aback by that comment, coming from somebody who had never met him before. She was educated.

"I mean to say, in Root the child of the organization is stripped of their emotions so that all they can be is loyal," _just like me, _"but I see you're reading up on those feelings that were taken away from you, as if you'd like to gain them back."

Hinata continued, knowing that she was slowly reaching him. "They say that suppressed emotions play a part in completion of unpleasant along with unethical missions. But, I see here that despite that fact of being a true shinobi, you would like to weaken yourself with," She picked up one of the books and tossed it to Sai, who caught it surprised, "bonds."

Hinata looked at him for his reaction, only to be met with blank eyes and an awkwardly fake turn of the lips, a smile. His smile was out of place on his cold face, but nonetheless, she was disgusted that he would lower himself to such an act.

She didn't expect to come into the library and find himself with books all about emotions and personal bonds, in fact, the moment she observed them in front of him, she immediately put two and two together. She came here thinking that he was like her, and so he would be able to help her about her bloodline limit which seemed to somehow be stimulated by those feelings. But then, to her great dismay, she finds him in the long process of trying to recreate his emotions. With that evidence, she concluded that they were indeed different when it came to opinion, because she would never try to bring back her emotions, she would never deliberately become _weak_.

While she was thinking, Sai had been neatly piling the books back up and rolling up his scroll. Once he tidied the table up, he pushed his chair back and stood up so that he was level with her, though a good few inches taller.

"You want to know why I am reading about all of this? Maybe, it's because I learned a good deal of how bonds, and strengthening them, can actually make you stronger." Sai didn't need to take a good few minutes of introduction to figure out what she was all about. From her posture, facial expression, and tone, he could tell easily that she was yet another one of those shinobi like himself who suppressed their emotions. He had dealt with the retorts of one too many ninja about his choices, and really, he was hoping for at least one of them to understand just as he came to understand.

"Determination and belief, both emotions, urge you to get up when you have fallen."

"Loyalty will always keep you getting up till your knees are skinned." Hinata replied simply.

"It's always the ones who are expert over erasing their emotions that are recognized as shinobi."

"And it's always the ones who let their emotions rule them that break down in front of enemy ninja."

Sai's fake smile was starting to surt the corners of his mouth and his obsidian eyes glinted dangerously. Hinata only met his gaze at full force under the safety of their hood.

And so they went on, shooting and replying, both unconsciously sunken into a debate of their own opinions on the possession of feelings. And yet, both were so similar with the fact of their emotions being beaten out as children until they came to this age, no longer possessing such. What separated them was one who was happy of being without them while the other trying to reach them once again.

By now his fake smile had dropped to his regular monotone, with a hint of amusement lacing the smooth voice. "Emotions are said to make the eyes beautiful."

"Without them, your face isn't wrinkled with smile or worry lines."

"And who said they were ugly?"

"And when did beauty matter when it comes to shinobi?"

The two ninja were in close proximity and Sai hooked his pale hand under her chin, tracing her jaw line. "To take in every single detail, from the smooth to rough texture," his thumb ran along her skin, "is the detail an artist observes. And when it comes to the art of ninja, my detail comes to life."

Hinata wondered why she didn't move away from his touch, when she practically lived by the code of not liking the invasion of personal space. "Ahh, and this coming from an artist who has yet to title even one of his masterpieces, _Dramatic_."

"So, the lifeless doll can joke, _Shadow_." A smile played at his lips, almost warm enough to be genuine, but still the painter was learning.

Hinata pulled up a chair for herself as Sai sat back down in his seat, and she wondered what the warm orb was, growing in her chest. She noticed that the previously blank scroll was now filled with thick black ink, and a word swooped across the paper.

_Friends_.

"Now, what was it that you needed, Hinata Ikustaka?" Sai's tone was a little warmer than it was when she first interrupted him.

Hinata lifted an eyebrow. So the young man seated across from her had figured out that she didn't come here to argue for the past few hours with him.

* * *

Sasuke panted heavily as he leaned against the outside wall of the library, sweating from the little shade the roof gave. He had run out just as Sai had begun _caressing_ Hinata's face. His mood darkened considerably, earning a few odd looks from the passing villagers who weren't just fan girls.

It was awkward to witness the two emotion deprived shinobi of the village meet each other, and almost immediately open up. He had surely never heard that artist talk as much as he did with Hinata, who he could conclude just didn't talk at all from the small amount of time he had spent with her.

The two talking with each other could have been easily mistaken as human.

And this coming from the village ice cube.

But even with Sasuke, she showed a lot more emotion than either of the two. He could smirk, talk (though nearly all the time his words struck as insults), and get along fairly well with the rest of the Rookie 9. He had his friends, like Shikamaru, and definitely was not socially inept with his popularity. Just because Sasuke was arrogant, it didn't mean he had no feeling. It just meant that his feelings were slightly darker.

When he had first met Hinata, he had realized how emotionless somebody could really be. It was one thing to be stoic, as he and others such as the Hyuga remained. But then there was a sense of emptiness, that Hinata portrayed.

It was funny, he seemed to be thinking about her too much lately. He was becoming a bit too observant.

"_Tell me... why do you care so much?"_

Why did he care so much? Why did he think about her so much? It was as if some raw hurried feeling was slicing up his gut everytime he laid eyes on her. It was obvious that she was a threat, but how so? _Or to who?_

To the village? To his comrades? To himself?

…or to his feelings?

Sasuke intended to find out, there was too much that would be left to ignore if he didn't. He would be driven crazy if he didn't find out, but what he didn't know, was sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Because, if he did find out and he pursued it, he might just end up being more broken than he already was.

* * *

"The Rinnegan."

Hinata only stared back at Sai as if he had said something foreign. She had actually seeked him out because with his extensive research on emotions, he might have been able to help her with the mysterious power of her bloodline limit. He didn't question how she possessed such a pair of unusual and unique eyes, already shutting up when she lifted down her hood and showed him the gray orbs. Then, when he moved to touch her face to get a better look, her chakra had rushed up for a split second and activated the limit for one flash. It was enough for him to see.

She went on in explanation that when it activated, she had to feel a rush of emotion along with a force of chakra maneuvered up to her eyes. And when she started to see the gray world with detail but no senses, she could also see strange colors in various people. Hinata needed to know what those colors were, what purpose they served.

Sai soaked in the information with a straight face, not interrupting her or saying anything. When the cloaked girl was done speaking, he immeditaly stood up and slipped past the aisles expertly, obviously knowing where he was going.

He returned just as quickly as he had left, only instead of a book, he carried an ancient scroll tinged yellow as the edges and covered with a coat of dust.

Sitting back down, he unfurled the scroll and glanced at it for a moment before laying it open and flat on the table, turning it towards Hinata so that it faced her.

There were so illustrations and the words were small and bold, only covering one portion of the page. Smoothening it with his thumb, Sai leaned back in his chair and watched as she skimmed the page, her hood still down.

So, when he said the name of the bloodline limit, even after reading it, she was still confused on how she could possess that.

"The Rinnegan," he repeated, "it was the-"

"I know perfectly well what it was. It was possessed by the Sage of the Six Paths, said to be the creator of ninjutsu and hold the power to either destroy or save the entire world." She cut him off.

"But what I don't understand, is how I can have this limit. When mine activates, I only see a gray world with various colors in different people. The Rinnegan, meanwhile, is said to be able to summon and possess animals and make six identical copies of the possessor. I can't do any of that."

"That's true," Sai nodded, "but they say that the Rinnegan also held a mysterious power, one that even the Sage couldn't grasp fully at. I came across a particular note of this power when I was, ano, researching. It intrigued me because it said that there was a bloodline limit, a power, that could solely depend on emotions." He now had a faraway look in his eyes as he leaned forward, staring down in his lap.

"I think, from what you've told me, you activated this mysterious power before any other of the features that come with the Rinnegan. Basically, it allows you to read the emotions inside of opponents, and in doing so, manipulate the emotions."

Hinata's throat felt dry in realization, and her voice was only a soft whisper as she muttered, "So that means…"

"Hai, with this power of the Rinnegan you can internally drive a person insane, torture them, hold complete and utter control over one at their own will. And, with becoming six bodies, the power is multiplied per body. The ultimate power, to destroy somebody who is willing to be destroyed."

Hinata could only blink as she stared at the scroll, her wrist slightly shaking. She had power that had not been controlled since the creation of ninjutsu. The Akatsuki had given her so much power, enough to actually hold power over that organization.

But she wouldn't, because she was a weapon, and she possessed no feeling of greed that would drive away her pure loyalty. Rolling up the scroll, she left it on the table beside the stack of books while pulling her hood once again up over her face, and both ninja stood up and shook hands.

Meeting Sai was a refreshing change; the encounter along with all the other experiences that she had and will have would open her eyes. The Akatsuki, with giving her this gift of the Rinnegan, have given sight to her once numb blindness.

Her only problem now was how to use this bloodline limit, since obviously there would be no teacher with nobody else who honed the bloodline limit. Somehow, she would have to train herself using it, or maybe an Akatsuki member would come by, but she seriously doubted it. Hinata mused if the organization knew that this had resulted from the combination of the two greatest limits in Konoha.

As she turned around and was about to leave, Sai called out to her, "And say hello to my teammates for me, will you?" Hinata turned her head to a side and nodded swiftly, knowing fully well what Kurenei and her students had been uncomfortable over. The boasting bundles of emotions included in humans, especially Kiba, must not be able to relate to Sai as she had.

Absorbed in thought, Hinata glided her way back to her complex, slightly acknowledging the fact that it was now sunset. Reflex pulled a kunai out of her pouch when a hand wrapped around her wrist, and she blinked in surprise as she came face to face with the Uchiha.

The next thing he said almost sent the kunai clattering to the floor.

"Will you help me?"

_**If one strike wasn't enough, how about six?**_


	25. Chapter 23

"Will you help me?"

Sasuke was taken aback by his own question, as the words sank into both shinobi.

He had planned the whole confrontation out from beginning to end, however he didn't expect it to sound like that. He didn't expect it to sound so _pathetic_.

Sasuke's bangs fell over his face as he slightly shook his head, mentally slapping himself. Even if it sounded so bizarre, he had to go through with it, as it could be his only chance to get the answers to the questions that have spun around his mind ever since the cloaked girl had arrived at the gates of Konoha.

What had happened to his village ever since she had come here? The fact that she over powered most of the strongest shinobi, the strange marking in Suna,the interrogation, her connection with none other than Sai… it seemed like the peace of the few happy years after his return had been disturbed ever since she arrived.

The village has been changing, and he was changing, too.

This plead was yet another rip at his pride; the Uchiha could have chuckled. It seemed like she had been destroying his pride often, whether consciously or not.

Why was he so intrigued by her? She was a possible threat, from the brief explanations of his old blonde teammate.

Could she really be part of the Akatsuki? Could she have been in league with his brother?

And why did he care so much?

Was it possible that Uchiha Sasuke was a bit intimidated by her?

It was time to come out from behind the books and take the situation onto the field. Drawing in a deep breath, Sasuke repeated a little less flustered,

"Will you help me become stronger, Hinata-san? Will you train me?"

Hinata raised an eyebrow at the request, not expecting for a shinobi, none the less an ANBU Captain, as she had learned earlier, to lower his pride to that level. But then again, seeing the childish Hokage, it did seem that Konoha was a little loose.

She couldn't waste spending any more time with the Uchiha. Already, he had seen too much in Suna, and she had an itch that he was starting to have deeper suspicions against her. She couldn't afford having him learn anything more, it was better he was avoided at all costs. No need to make attachments.

"Why should I? Shouldn't you have a sensei to go ask that?"

"Why yes, he certainly does. And I'm offended that he couldn't come ask his favorite, good-looking, no offence Hinata-san, sensei for help. I could cry."

Both young ninja turned at the lazy sentence being drawled out, and Hinata wasn't the least surprised to see the pepper haired jounin leaning against the wall, masked nose stuffed in an orange book. She had sensed his chakra signature minutes ago as it was making itself near the apartment.

Sasuke lightly glared at Kakashi, though he couldn't help but feel relieved. The bubbling tension was starting to get to him, as he didn't know how to response to her almost rejection.

"Aww Sasuke-kun, why the face? And here I came with your new promotion."

A small object was tossed at the Uchiha, who caught it with ease, bringing his hand down to observe it. It was a mask, but quite different from the traditional porcelain ANBU attire.

The mask was cut down enough to only cover the upper part of his face, with a small net over the eye holes, which would no doubt muffle the crimson from his Sharingan. Useful in undercover missions, he mused.

But it was the animal that surprised him. Instead of the ironic Snake ANBU Mask, this one was fashioned in the markings of the Crow. He looked up, only to see Hinata gazing intently at his mask.

_That mask is just like mine. So, he's in the same division as me._

It seemed that it would be harder to avoid the Uchiha than she thought.

Kakashi gave a small cough, drawing their attention once more.

"Anyway, I actually came here for both of you. As Hinata-san already knows, you're both in the same field of ninja. In fact, you're partners."

Much harder than she thought.

"As well as being partners, you two are, well, sort of the only ninja in there as well," Kakashi grinned sheepishly, "so you'll have your work cut out for you. Until we recruit more ninja of course, but not for a long time, as we confirm this will work out."

Sasuke sighed in annoyance, "So, we're guinea pigs, huh?"

The ninja lowered his book slightly, his visible eye narrowing as his tone turned serious, "Close, but not quite. You two are going to act as specifically Akatsuki hunter-nin."

"Nani?"

Hinata couldn't stop the question before it came out of her mouth. When she received the mask, all they had informed her was that she was going to be part of the hunter-nin. They had never said anything about the _Akatsuki_.

Teacher and student turned their eyes to the suddenly speaking girl, and the former's eye narrowed.

"Yes, Akatsuki, the criminal organization specializing on collecting the tailed demons. I am positive _you _are familiar with them, Hinata-san. Of course, the ANBU is there to help, but you two will solely concentrate on these people, if that's what you can call them," he almost sneered.

Regaining his laid-back look, Hatake continued, "Especially after the attack in Suna, Konoha is in constant danger because of hosting the nine-tailed demon fox. In order to protect our Hokage and village, we'll need you two. Besides, it shouldn't be that hard, Hinata-san, since you seemed to have been cleared as not involved in the Akatsuki."

_They still don't trust me._

"Which brings us back to the topic that I interrupted. Seeing how Sasuke-kun sacrificed his male pride just for asking Hinata-san to help him, this sensei thinks that is reason enough. Besides, it would be best if he could get up to your level, as the missions would become much easier on all parts."

Hinata could have laughed at the irony. These people were not giving her a choice to avoid the Uchiha. They'd cornered her in every direction, and now it looked like she was stuck with the kid.

"Well, I'm late for a meeting, and I think that Naruto might be serious about taking the minutes out of my pay. Ja!"

As the puff of smoke slowly evaporated from his departure, the two shinobi mildly stared at each other, both a little unnerved by how Kakashi had taken care of the whole conversation without themselves needing to spare more than a few words.

Sighing, Hinata turned on her heel and began making her way to her apartment. As she walked, she called out softly but loud enough to be heard by the other ninja,

"Three minutes to get ready and meet me outside."

Sasuke smirked and made his way to his own apartment.

* * *

Hinata let out a low sigh as she and the Uchiha walked to the training grounds. This was going to take away a lot of her time, when she could be training with her new Rinnegan.

Suddenly remembering the navy emotion when she had touched Sasuke, maybe this could work out in her favor. Though, it would be unstable to try that again without further improving her control. She needed to speak with Sai again.

This Rinnegan was strange. Such power… but she couldn't go off thinking about that again. Once in the library was enough for the hour.

Instead, Hinata turned her thoughts to the new findings of her division. It was too coincidental that the person they suspected as an Akatsuki was suddenly hauled to capture the very same. Even if Konoha appeared a little too flimsy and soft, they could not be denied for being clever.

They were testing her.

They were putting the weapon against its master. Trying for her to break in the last moment and reveal that she had some kind of tie with the organization. But, she couldn't give up her position in the middle of a mission.

If, somehow, Hinata ended up in a situation to kill an Akatsuki member…

Well, she would have to do everything necessary to make sure that her true mission in the Konoha invasion would not be jeopardized. Even if she had to sacrifice one of her own. It would be their honour to die.

By now, they had stepped onto the training grounds, but it seemed busy with shinobi. Genin could be seen practicing their chakra control by testily climbing up trees, and older chunin were sparring in quick whirls of dust. Jounin sensei had their voices ring out loudly with instructions and bits of advice. Hinata could even spot a pair of teenagers that looked suspiciously like Tenten and Chouji, the former enthusiastically encouraging their friend through various exercises.

All over, it was too noisy, and she winced.

Turning to the boy next to her who was patiently waiting for her to lead, she asked, "Is there a training ground that's a little more secluded than here?"

He looked puzzled for a moment at the question, before running a hand through his dark locks in thought. Suddenly his eyes brightened, and he nodded.

"Hai." _We're back to monosyllables._

It seemed that they were cutting their way across the whole village, and it was only with their stamina that their pace didn't falter. Soon enough they reached another quiet compound, the wind picking up a few leaves and whistling shyly away.

Sasuke's eyes seemed to darken as he looked on in the expanse of land, with low yet wide houses littering along. The largest of them was set further back, the paper door firmly shut, as if hiding something behind it or trying to keep something from getting out.

It was all too familiar, as he led his partner around the houses, childhood memories his path. There was Uncle and Aunt's part of the Uchiha grounds. And then his grandparents.

He paused for a moment at the entrance of the Uchiha Head's home, his own home. He didn't bother going in and instead circumvented the morbid building, not in the mood to relive bitter memories.

It took just a whisper, a whisper to set his bent up feelings free, before he turned to Hinata and got serious about the training he requested.

_Tadaima._

Taking a deep breath, he gradually led them into a fairly small training ground, as most of the clan members preferred the forest. It was furnished with posts and targets, but apparently that wasn't Hinata's idea as she motioned for him to sit down in front of her when she crouched to sit on her legs.

Deciding to wait before questioning her request, he sat down, drawing in a leg to rest his arm on his knee. He watched as her head moved, shaded eyes taking in the area.

A dusty ground, small fence, and of course, the training equipment. It wasn't much, but it was indeed quiet.

"What is this place?" Hinata couldn't help but wonder why there were so many houses but no people. She'd never seen such a gloom in sunny Konoha.

"This is the Uchiha compound."

She blinked. Of course, no wonder he knew it so well.

"You live here?"

"Iie. I haven't been here in years." His mouth was a firm line, offering no further information.

Deciding to lighten the mood for once, she stood up and bowed mockingly low. "It's a pleasure to be here, oh great, wonderful, kind, generous Head Uchiha-sama." Her voice almost dripped with sarcasm.

Sasuke tilted his head to look up at her and smirked, imagining how Hiashi-sama would ever react if he met this girl saying such a thing.

What the Uchiha didn't know, was what would happen if Hiashi and Hinata met, period.

Hinata seated herself back down. "Alright, now back to business. First remove all your weapons, leave it in a pile over there."

Huh? Sasuke was even more confused. How was he supposed to train without weapons? Perhaps they were going to begin with tai-jutsu?

He saw that she was already unhooking her kunai holster and followed suit.

Once the small weapons were in a pile, they once again sat down. Silence lingered on as she continued to gaze past him, as if wondering how to begin.

"We're not going to cover tai-jutsu, gen-jutsu, or nin-jutsu, if that's what you're wondering, You probably know how to cover in those just fine, and I'm not going to bother perfecting them when you may do so in your own time."

"But then-" Sasuke began, wondering why they were even here if they're not going to train.

"We're not going to cover physical training. Instead, we'll improve that by beginning mental training. If you're going to be my partner in hunting down Akatsuki, you're going to need to have the emotional capability of killing somebody. Already in Suna, I witnessed your hesitance in even dealing the last blow to Uchiha Itachi."

He jerked a bit at the name, and even though it was small, Hinata caught it, proving her point.

"In the field, you're going to need to know how to kill anybody of any age and status. Whether it could be a complete stranger or your closest friend, if the mission requires you of it, they should be dead without a second thought. It doesn't matter if the target is even a child, your own morals never matter in a true battle."

Sasuke's eyes widened a little, the facts she was laying out were told over and over again, but nobody ever really could follow the shinobi rules. There were always more than a few to break in one's career. But when she said them, it was as if she truly followed each and every one of those rules, robotically, religiously.

"And your emotions should never blind you over the truth of the fight. You must do whatever you can in order to complete the mission. You are my teammate, but if you were ever in captured, I'd never go in to help you. In life, you are on your own and should never have somebody picking up for your mistakes. I would leave you to die, had you done something to jeopardize the mission. And the same vice versa, you may leave me to die."

His mouth opened as he remembered back in Suna how she was in near death. He had gone off to save her, but at the same time the Akatsuki had escaped once again. Was she suggesting that he had done the wrong thing to go and save her?

The way she spoke didn't even sound human.

It sounded like a true ninja. Unnerving.

Sasuke was shaken out of his thoughts when she dropped her cold tone and returned to a normal, mind you, emotionless, voice.

"So, this is what we'll be training you in. You need to be ready for the missions ahead, and I won't have you behind. If we're in this together, then I'm making sure that's there's enough on both parts. Are you sure you want to do this?"

When she saw him nod without hesitation, she sighed. Why was this boy so persistent? After all those horrible things she described for him to master, he still agreed. What was it he was looking for? It was clear that he didn't just come to her for just training.

On another thought, it was a new feeling to be training somebody. It was as if she was the sensei, and not the clay being molded. This was the first time she would be helping somebody, and it was a curiosity that kept her here. How was it for once to be the master with a student?

"Fine, you asked for it. But, your training will not be constant. I'll be randomly dropping in tests that require you to take certain measures, and no matter how brutal they may seem to be, you must go through with it."

Sasuke frowned as she said 'brutal'. What was that supposed to mean? Nevertheless, he nodded again.

"Demo, I have one favor to ask of you. In return for the training."

Sasuke waved his hand for her to go on, as she slightly tilted her head, as if trying to find the words for what she was requesting.

"In return for the training, you must grant me permission to manipulate your emotions."

Sasuke's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Nani?!"

She offered no further explanation, only folding her arms across her chest and waiting for his response.

He thought carefully, trying to figure out what she meant from her words? Manipulate his emotions? Tugging on a strand of his hair, he decided that it couldn't be worse than his training.

"Hai, Hinata-sensei. Permission granted."

A ghost of a smile appeared at her lips, before just as quickly disappearing. "Arigato, Uchiha_-sama_"

As she disappeared in a puff of smoke, he lay back on the ground, his arms folded behind his head. It was then that Sasuke decided that Hinata looked nice when she smiled.

_**To be the hand guiding one to the blade is just as important as the hand drawing it.**_


	26. Chapter 24

Sasuke frowned as he felt the chakra signature flicker yet again and then disappear before he had a chance to turn around. He leaned heavily against the dark stoned wall, placing a hand against his tired face as he sighed.

It had been occurring for a week now. Everywhere he went, he seemed to sense Hinata's chakra, but before he could find its source, it would poof so quickly, that he was beginning to have thoughts that he was just imagining all of it. Why was the girl following him? But then again, why would she so it in such a way that made it seem like she was avoiding him from seeing her as well?

Was this part of the test?

He decided to play along with her little game of hide-and-seek, resolving that it would be best just to ignore her for now, at least until she decided to reveal herself to him.

The sky was shyly blushing a shade darker and the temperature was dropping a little as the cold night wind blew in. Sasuke decided to start heading back home, as it was too late to go training.

Digging his hands into the pockets of his pants, he dragged his feet across the street, taking a small glance at the brightly lit windows as store owners began to clean up their shops. Just as he walked by the bakery, he felt the growing familiar chakra, and suddenly a real presence. It shadowed behind him, and her voice harshly whispered, sending a cold shiver down his back.

"Uchiha."

He was about to turn around, but her firm grasp on his shoulder stopped him. It was silent for a moment as the wind weakly whistled at their feet, the hem of her cloak slightly raising and falling, causing her shadow to waver. Her breath was hot on his earlobe, as she continued to keep her voice at a harsh whisper.

"Alright, Uchiha. We're going to walk now, eleven feet into that alley. Then, we can begin."

Step by step, her knee pressed into the back of his leg as she slowly guided him to the designated location. He was extremely tense, knowing what this was about.

The training had begun.

Extremely long seconds crept by tremendously slowly, but eventually, after an extensive moment, they had reached the safe darkness of the alley. The grip on his shoulder loosened, and he was turned and shoved against the wall, to face the slightly shorter girl.

She looked around under her cape for another few seconds, and seemingly satisfied, she turned to speak, her mouth cleverly shifting to disguise her speaking.

"This is where your first lesson begins. Listen carefully; I'm only going to say this once. I want you to go into that bakery over there as the lights begin to go off. Make sure you aren't detected, stay on light footsteps. Then, you're going to make your way to the back of the room, where there will be a small stairway, leading up to the second floor. It'll lead up to a single bedroom with the door unlocked. Open it."

She paused, before he swiftly nodded, letting her know he understood.

"There should be three forms on the bed. Left will be the woman, right will be the man, and in the center should be the sleeping daughter. For your first lesson, you will begin on merciless killing. Kill the man in front of his family, and then take his head back."

Sasuke gaped at the cloaked girl for a few seconds, not believing what she wanted him to do. She was asking him to murder an innocent civillian. And that wasn't all, an innocent of their own village.

His breathing slowed, as he waited for the shinobi before him to reveal how all of this was a joke. How she was going to take back what she said, in favor of target training, anything but killing. He wasn't with Orochimaru anymore, he was with the good guys now. Sure he wanted to get stronger, but not through these methods.

In a daze, Sasuke found himself nodding in agreement as Hinata jumped up into the shadows, no doubt keeping watch from afar.

His body moved at its own will, taking him through the bakery doors silently, the room inked with dancing darkness, just being able to make out the counter where delightful scents of freshly baked bread and cakes should have been wafting from. The transparent covering glinted softly, as he continued to glide past on the clean wooden floor, stark of dust.

The back room was even darker, a pitch black tunnel where his hands ran along the paper of the walls, to reassure his involuntarily moving body that he had some sense of direction left. Soon his palm hit the thick wood of the western style door, and he slowly ran his fingers down to mold with the doorknob.

_Whish._

Sasuke cautiously pushed the door open, his now sweating palm almost glued to the knob. His breath was beginning to slightly shake as his body grew an awareness of what was really going on. It was too late to go back now.

Trying to keep as little weight as possible on the ascending stairs, the boy was just barely balanced on his toes as he climbed the steps.

_Creak. _

Sasuke swallowed his gasp as the sole of his foot hovered in midair, the big toe just barely touching the feeble wooden stair. Suddenly, he stopped, placing both his feet down on the previous stair. He was a shinobi for crying out loud, not a simple civilian trying to break into a house.

With a deep breath, Sasuke vanished, only to reappear at the top of the staircase. With a triumphant smirk, he once again pushed the next door open, into a small bedroom.

It was simple really, though too dark to observe properly. The first corner on the left had a simple dresser with a foggy mirror bearing the blackened features of the small room. Not far from it was a small set of drawers, no doubt containing clothes. Across from the items on the other side of the room was a bookshelf, where only a few paperbound books lay teetering upright against each other, most likely cookbooks.

However, in the center against the longer wall and beneath a small wide window were the targets. In a squeaking mattress with a jumble of warmly knit blankets were a man, a woman, and the tuft of hair that could only come from a small child. Their different breaths heavily clashed against each other, but all were deep enough to show that they were sleeping.

Sasuke's lungs were clenching in silent panic as he realized that he was about to tear this family apart. Letting his eyes fall to the small, peacefully slumbering girl, he realized he was about to take somebody's father away.

His mind was beginning to jumble as he lost sight of the calm he kept as a shinobi. His body kept moving on its own accord as a shaking wrist landed withdrew a small, glinting kunai from its holster. The smooth edge let up to a perfectly sharpened tip, one of which, he gulped, he had sharpened himself.

Sasuke's hesitation was dragging his feet forward almost too slowly, and it wasn't before he was at the foot of the bed that a shadow shifted and he felt Hinata's presence behind him again.

"Why are you taking so long?"

Her dry whisper let off her irritation clearly, and he was aware at how pathetic he was appearing, not even able to kill a defenseless simpleton. The fact that she was behind him, waiting with little patience but still giving him a chance, gave him the little fire in this clamping lungs to regain his composure to the best he could after his distraught state.

Pressing his lips together into a thin line, he smoothly grabbed hold of the sleeping man by the scruff of his neck, shaking the victim awake as they were pulled to their feet. The man yelped, his cry waking the wife who blearily shrieked at the sight of the two shinobi. The girl had cradled to her mother, letting out more quiet whimpers of confusion and fear.

Sasuke's teeth clenched as he pulled the man closer, the tip of his kunai just grazing the neck. The man was howling curses, but it fell deaf on Uchiha ears. His onyx eyes gently met with the little girl's, whose larger brown eyes widened as they locked gazes. His kunai was shaking violently in his hand, threatening to drop, before he felt warmth envelop his fingers.

Turning his gaze to his hand, he found to his much surprise that Hinata had wrapped her smaller hand around his to help steady the blade. Drawing in a weak breath, Sasuke looked back at the little girl who was by now starting to shiver with cold tears, and the kunai plunged.

The dark trickle of hot blood kissed down his long, pale fingers, glowing crimson in the darkness. He watched as both his and Hinata's hands joined in lifting out the kunai, letting the corpse fall heavily to the ground. The woman's cries were shrill, but it was the girl's that were silent. He couldn't look at her, but knew she was in a state of shock.

Because the little girl had just seen her loved one die in front of her.

She would grow up with nightmares, with hatred towards himself, and without a father.

Sasuke felt his insides breaking every emotional wall that had ever been set up before in occurrence to what had happened. His legs wobbled, and he was just about to collapse on his knees before a pair of arms wrapped themselves around his waist to steady him, and then a poof of smoke.

He blinked as the white clouds cleared away to reveal Hinata, who stepped back calmly after releasing him. She looked completely normal, as if they hadn't murdered an innocent.

He felt bile claw its way through his throat.

"H-h-ow c-c-c-oul-"

His voice came out in desperate chokes, unable to form proper words.

_How could you make me do such a thing? How could you let an innocent be murdered? How are you so calm?_

"M-monster.."

He felt a surge of anger towards her, watching as she made no reaction still towards any of the events or his accusation. It was one thing to be required to kill on a mission, but inside your village for no reason- it should have been against any normal person's morals.

Did she even have any morals?

He could have laughed if he had the voice to even do so. She probably killed people on an everyday basis. This mighty Hinata was a true shinobi.

Was that really such a trait to be envious over?

His head throbbed with pain as he closed his eyes while leaning on the wall, fearing for his knees to give way. His mouth felt disgustingly dry, and his eyes were too wet to be considered normal.

It was like a daze as he felt Hinata's hand softly caress his cheek, unconsciously leaning into the touch. It could almost be said as comforting…

Her touch also held something that could have been remorse, but only if it had been anybody but her.

Shaking his head slightly as the bangs fell in front of his closed eyes, he felt her mouth near his ear again, her breath this time soft enough to be ticklish.

"That man was to be executed at dawn."

She was always departing after those kind of statements, he mused, as this time he fell on his knees. Touching his face lightly, Sasuke wondered why his breaths suddenly sounded like sobs, and why his face was too wet to have been blood.

_**To strike without first thought, only to have second thoughts afterwards.**_


	27. Chapter 25

"_M-monster.."_

She couldn't get his voice out of her head as she half ran back to her room. Fumbling with the key, she leapt inside and sprinted to her room. Not even making it all the way onto her bed, she fell on her knees, pressing her forehead against the thick side of the mattress.

_Monster._

It wasn't the word that he had said that affected her so much. A word is just that, a simple two syllables. No, it was _how _Sasuke had said it that really made her step back.

His dark eyes wide and almost wild, betraying every emotion like an open, onyx book. Pain, disgust, fear, confusion. Some emotions were unrecognizable, fogged behind the more obvious ones.

Then his trembling mouth, paling skin, and shaking form added no less effect on the whole display.

But it was his voice behind the word. Raspy and stuttering, yet oozing disgust and shock with every letter that passed out of those lips in those two heavily squeezed breaths.

Hinata's eyes heavily, almost painfully, closed as she buried her head deeper into the mattress, her position on the ground beginning to make her feet numb.

She had been holding off on the mission ever since it was given for a few weeks, deciding to first observe the Uchiha. She knew that he was aware of her presence, since she deliberately did not do a good job of masking it.

Reason being, she was looking for his reaction.

When she was sure that he was almost tired of pretending not to notice her, she revealed herself. The mission itself was not that hard, since the target was completely defenseless.

It was not supposed to turn out as such a mess.

She had hide the fact that the man was going to be executed anyway for a case that involved slipping poison into one of the his pastries. It was a necessary precaution to take, in order to observe the Uchiha's abilities in killing. She, of course, had heard of his dealings as a traitor with Orochimaru, and no doubt he was required to kill in the past anyway.

She overestimated his capeabilities.

Apparently, this was a different case.

Now that she thought of it, maybe this was also a test to see how stable his loyalties were to Konoha. He probably couldn't kill the man, if he was thinking of the said victim as an innocent of their own village. Hinata didn't see how that mattered so much, a mission was a mission.

There were not supposed to be any second thoughts.

Her mouth slightly opened, drawing in a quiet breath to calm the growing turmoil in the caves of her mind.

But, he did have second thoughts. Doubts that were strong enough to make him stall from the kill. He was dangerously taking such a while, that she had to come interfere.

And what she saw when she came in was no longer the Uchiha that she had known from the past months of staying in Konoha.

No, this Uchiha no longer was a shinobi. He was more like a horrified boy, holding a kunai for the first time, and realizing what it can really do. With patience that she did not know she possessed, Hinata guided his hand like a child to the victim's throat.

Her fists clenched on the ground, nails digging into the pale skin of her palm.

It was a strange thing when she had to kill. For eleven years, the requirement of murder had been pounded into her to the point where she didn't have to feel anything when taking another's life.

Killing had become just another duty.

So, it was such a drastic change to see somebody other than the Akatsuki having to kill. While the Akatsuki mindlessly took life after life, offering no reaction whatsoever for the simple reason that there was no reaction to offer, the Uchiha contrasted.

It seemed like while he would kill, his mind would still be completely open. His eyes would tender around the dark edges, offering whatever emotion he might have been having at the moment.

She turned hollow, while he became _human_.

Was that something to be envious over?

She crawled sluggishly onto the bed, hovering over the pillow but still sitting on her knees.

Everything he was, everything he displayed, was so foreign, so new. He was like a mystery needing to be discovered. He made her curious.

Maybe that was what possessed her to touch him.

Her hand twitched slightly as she remembered placing it on his cheek, feeling the strangely soft skin moving beneath her fingers. Then his hair, too gently brushing her knuckles as it fell in place in front of his eyes. The glassy, window eyes that belonged to those dolls of shopping displays in villages her past missions had led her through.

Even though the moment had seemed like forever, as she touched another person without the intentions of killing, it wasn't long before she felt the tears.

It was a curious texture, as she had never witnessed tears like that before. Sure, there were those dying moments where the victim's eyes clouded with water, but their life was taken away too quickly to give the shower a chance to proceed. And of course, she herself had never shed a tear in the eleven years with Akatsuki,

Tears were a light, wet feeling, not seeming as heavy as they poured. Eyelashes would slow every drop down, making it trail slimly down the cheekbones. Her thumb brushed at the wet paths, feeling how the smooth skin seemed so tenderly rough as the water dried quickly.

And then the smell. A salty, subtle scent that could only be weakly made out through the heavy blood. It mingled with the Uchiha's own masculine aroma, musky, now that she thought of it.

Her hands trailed up to the back of her neck, ripping off her cloak and grabbing at her hair. She pulled at the locks, refusing to unlock pent up frustration.

It was one thing to end a person's life, quickly and without a thought.

But right now, she was having thoughts. She was having many thoughts about the Uchiha, though she didn't kill him.

Instead, she emotionally burdened him.

Why did she care so much if she brought pain onto somebody so insignificant to the bigger picture? It's not like he could alter her mission in Konoha in any way. He was just a fellow shinobi, another Konoha ninja that will probably be killed when the infiltration succeeds.

Right?

Her head throbbed in confusion as she fell, fell into the abyss of her thoughts and fell onto her pillow, with a facial expression covered by the feathery plush.

It didn't matter, he didn't matter. She was a shinobi, an Akatsuki, a tool to achieve greatness. No having thoughts, her opinions didn't matter. No, no, no.

She clung onto the Akatsuki, as it was the only thing left certain of.

As a master clings onto his weapon, not daring to lose it in the midst of battle, as it could determine certain life… or death.

* * *

Shikamaru dug his hands into his pockets as he lazily stepped out the door.

"Geez, what was Naruto thinking, calling me to his office this early in the morning…"

When he noticed that there were no clouds in the early dawn sky, it further gloomed his already grumpy mood. Shoulders slumped and a tired chin showed that he had just gotten out of bed. However, that wasn't a reason to put his guard down.

As he slowly passed by an alley, he didn't miss the dark, depressing figure of a man sitting against a wall.

Now, usually he wouldn't even bother, finding it too troublesome to mind another person's business. If he left them alone, hopefully but not in some cases, they would leave him alone.

However, what made him pause was the familiarity of the weak chakra signature. It was just flickering there, indicating either that the person was injured physically or even damaged emotionally.

Letting ninja instincts take over, he quickly made his way over to the figure, crouching down to peer at the shadowed face. His brown, bored eyes widened with recognition.

"Sasuke!"

His friend's mouth shifted, drawling out a series of incoherent sounds, before burying his face back into his hands. Shikamaru blinked at the reaction, before grabbing Sasuke's arms, and pulling him up.

Letting the distraught boy lean against the wall, he gently coaxed the hands down and tried to muffle the sharp gasp.

Sasuke looked horrible. His skin held a tinge of gray, as his dark eyes were puffed up with a slight red. His face was smeared with blood and tear stains, the crimson coming from his hands, Shikamaru noted. The boy's hair was ruffled, as if having been pulled at, and his clothes were disheveled from uneasy sleep.

Biting his lip, the Nara tried not to ask the probing question he had in his very large mind, and found that he didn't have to as the Uchiha suddenly crumpled onto the ground, shaking violently.

He stood silently, protectively, over his friend whose shaking voice revealed a night that seemed too horrible to be real, yet gruesome to have been made up. Shikamaru's mind was calculating as it processed the entering information, and he noticed that how everything revolved around Hinata Ikustaka.

Frowning, he knew there was more to her than met the eye, and from how she left Sasuke, he felt obliged to figure it out.

It was a challenge that had already been accepted.

Once Sasuke finished, resulting to a light murmur, he leaned down and wrapped an arm around the Uchiha's shoulders. Hoisting him up, he let his friend lean on him, heading to the apartment complex. Naruto could wait.

Usually, he would have been taken aback by Uchiha's out of character, scene, but an event of the past made him understand. He had been through something similar before.

"Hn, Cry Baby." Shikamaru grinned, teasing his friend. He only nodded in satisfaction when Sasuke smiled weakly back, appreciatively.

_**A weapon holds many memories, many pale faces have been reflected on its steel blade.**_


	28. Chapter 26

**Please see my profile.**

* * *

A spike of chakra.

Her eyes shot open, and she instinctively grabbed the intruder by the wrist, flipping them over and holding a shruiken point at their speeding pressure point.

Hinata's chest rose and fell as she breathed, in and out, before she could register just who she was about to kill.

"Morning, Sunshine," a familiar voice drawled sarcastically.

"What is the purpose of your unannounced visit, Sai, if that is your real name?"

Said boy thinly grinned up at her, almost mockingly. His inky bangs fell into his dark, calm eyes, expression too composed despite being sprawled on her bed under the current threat. Long, slender fingers wrapped lightly around her wrist, gently pulling the shuriken back so he could sit up. Once upright, he patted the empty spot beside him, and she rolled her eyes (this was _her_ apartment, after all) before taking a seat.

"Just dropping in for a visit, Ikustaka Hinata, if that is your real name," he replied, shouldering off his bag and placing it in his lap.

Touché.

She wondered how he had gotten into the apartment in the first place, but dismissed it as a stupid question. They were shinobi, after all. However, she must have been knocked out, for she hadn't even sensed his presence enter the apartment until it was near her. Had he been an enemy, she would have been done for.

She had let the emotions from earlier get the best of her, and it put her at a dangerous risk. She wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Tell me, Shadow, does your eye colour change often?"

A hand flew swiftly to her hair, feeling _no cloak_. Eyes widened in plain view as she turned frantically, only to realise that said item was draped across the other shinobi's lap.

She glared at him, reaching for the cloak, only for it to vanish.

"I don't think this is needed, you look much better without it, anyways."

"That is not your place to determine. Return it, now," she tried to keep her voice steady. Steady.

"I will, I will, but for now, relax. It's only you and me here, for now."

Just as she was about to protest, _who did he think he was_, she was silenced as he leaned towards her, cupping her cheek, "Back to my previous question, your eyes are, indeed, different."

His thumb traced the dark dashes under her eyes, realizing that despite the dead state he had found her in, she had not slept well at all. _Shadow_.

Sai allowed his hand to slip off as the girl beside him rose to her feet, making her way towards the bathroom. She turned the knob and let herself in, leaving it open as a silent invitation.

He folded the cloak neatly and moved to place it on her pillow. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and a hand slipped into the slit of the pillowcase. Just as he was about to draw the hidden object out, there was a crash.

The artist didn't even jump, only hesitated for a breath, before removing his hand from the pillow. He turned and walked towards the disturbance, knocking on the slightly ajar bathroom door as he pushed it fully open and entered.

"Shadow?"

Wide eyes, _lavender_ eyes, looked up at him, swimming with _emotion_, as blood ran down her buckled knees. "I-it won't stop."

Then, she fainted.

* * *

Hinata awoke to dim buzzing in a white bed clearly not her own. She sat up, and the bed sheet slipped slightly, revealing a green paper hospital gown.

Cautiously, the kunoichi swung her pale, bare legs over the edge of the bed and stood on wobbling knees, a hand gripping the bedrail for balance. Just as she was about to step forward, pain shot through her gut, and she doubled over with a gasp, wrapping her hands around her stomach.

Dear Kami, it _hurt_.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Hinata glanced up just quickly enough to see that it was Tenten before clamping her eyes shut. After all, this new attire hadn't come with a cloak.

"Hinata-san!" Said girl only jerked her head lower, almost _hearing_ it throb. Too loud, too loud. Why did she have to be so _loud_?

"Tenten-san, now is not the best time," Hinata snapped, surprising herself at the sudden irritation that flared up.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, looks like someone is PMSing," the bunned-hair girl grinned, offering a hand to help her up.

"PMSing?" Hinata asked, ignoring the proffered hand as she pulled herself up, the pain in her stomach slowly fading away.

"You know, the mood swings a girl gets when she's on her period."

"Period?" Hinata turned her head away, keeping her eyes shut all the while. She hated the fact she was so clueless at the moment in reference to these strange terms.

"Oh yeah, I can't believe you just got it for the first time. Well, congratulations, Hinata-san, you have just experienced your first flow of the menstrual cycle, otherwise known as a _period_. To put it simple, you've proven yourself as a girl, and as a result, you'll have to face serious cramps, mood swings, and hormones. The seven days are going to be pure _hell_," Tenten explained cheerily.

Hinata's eyebrow twitched as she tried to look for the fresh pile of clothes she had seen earlier. It was all down from here.

_**A weapon, prolonged from battle, can grow dull from waiting. However, every warrior needs to recover.**_


	29. Chapter 27

After trying and failing several times with the strange female contraption known as a 'pad', Tenten had finally deemed the surprisingly helpless kunoichi ready to go out. After explaining to her that she needed to change every four hours, the weapon mistress finally exited the bathroom, parting with a bade that she'll be waiting outside.

Hinata nodded and waited patiently for the door to click shut before turning towards the mirror. She slowly lowered the hood of her cloak.

Grey.

A pair of wide lavender eyes, fearful and shocked, flashed through her mind. For a minute there, she had believed that her Byakugan eyes had returned, but apparently, it had just been her imagination.

For now, her eyes were just grey. Just Rinnegan.

Hinata let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding before walking out of the bathroom.

* * *

Tenten was waiting at the exit, but she wasn't alone.

Hinata didn't say anything as Sasuke turned towards her, a neutral expression settled on his face. They stared.

Seconds crawled by.

"Well, Hinata-san, if you're free, do you want to come down to the shop with me? I could use some help and company!" Tenten broke the silence.

The kunoichi in question tore her shaded eyes away from the Uchiha and slightly shrugged, earning her a bright smile from her brunette friend. Tenten skipped down the hospital steps, and Hinata moved to follow her.

Just as the exit doors were about to swing close, a calm voice stopped her.

"Wait."

She paused but didn't turn around to look at the Uchiha.

"When's training?"

Hinata tensed, taken aback from the question. After all that had happened before, he still wanted to train? He still wanted to even be in the same village as this _monster_?

* * *

Sasuke watched her carefully from underneath his long bangs, having to remind himself to breathe every few seconds.

Every since that night, he had been thinking.

It had been a dead shock in the beginning. When he had been under Orochimaru's wing, he had been faced with many people to kill. However, he had done it with the belief that they were stepping stones to get rid of the true danger itself, his sensei. Ninja were meant to be merciless, killing machines, but Sasuke had always thought that there should be a purpose in killing. A motive. A selfless one.

When Itachi had killed his clan, he had felt pure rage and betrayal. His once beloved brother had slaughtered their family for the sake of _power_. In response, Sasuke had made a promise to himself to bring that murderer down and avenge their family's vain deaths.

However, apparently his idea for shinobi had been proved wrong. A ninja was a merciless, killing machine, at the dispense of whoever they took orders from. Whether it'd be the Hokage or even his sensei, he was supposed to kill because of orders, not because he was trying to bring about the greater good.

In their world, good and bad ceased to exist.

Which was why he had been shocked when he was expected to follow Hinata's orders and kill the baker. He had been expected to blindly follow orders, not think for himself and ponder his own morals. He hadn't known all the information, and he had hesitated, because he had been foolish and believed that you couldn't kill someone unless there was a proper reason to kill them. How could someone's death be in vain?

Sasuke had learned that in real missions, he won't always have access to all the information. For the sake of their village, he would just have to have faith in the orders and follow them through. He was expected to be a ninja, not a human.

For some reason, that left a heavy feeling inside his chest, but he pushed it over; it was to be later examined.

Which was why he had stumbled out of bed that morning and into the bathroom, rubbing away sore, puffy, sleep-crusted red eyes, trying to brush his teeth and pull up his pants at the same time. In a matter of seconds, he had dressed and was flying out the door, running up the steps and counting the doors.

He had said so many things last night, so many _stupid_ things. He needed to talk to her.

Following his memory, he stopped in front of a door and hesitated, his heart clenching. Heavily, he gathered up his courage and raised his fist, knocking carefully twice.

Sasuke lowered his hand, feeling almost too self-conscious, smoothening an invisible wrinkle out of his shirt.

He waited.

A minute passed, perhaps two, and he frowned. He knocked again and waited.

No answer.

The third time he knocked, his hand slid down to the doorknob. Thoughtfully, he turned.

_Click_.

Sasuke let himself in, cautiously looking around, as if expecting some three-headed snake to appear any second.

The apartment… looked normal enough. It was dark, for the curtains were drawn, but he could make out the faint outlines of various chairs, tables, and other such furniture.

Hesitantly, he walked forward, passing the living room and heading straight for the open bedroom.

"Hello?"

No response.

The bed was made, except for the pillow that had somehow tumbled off. He walked over to it and picked it up, dropping it when an object fell out with a thump.

Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed as he knelt and picked it up gingerly.

A mask.

He looked at it thoughtfully, tracing the red markings of the feline with his thumb before pocketing it. Then, he replaced the pillow on the bed and looked up.

A light poured out from the ajar door of, what he assumed if this was indeed the same setting of his own apartment, the bathroom.

He slowly approached it with light, baby steps, one foot in front of the other. It felt as if he was in some black tunnel, approaching the light at the end.

His pale hand pushed the door open, preparing himself to see-

Nobody. It was empty.

Onyx eyes scanned the bathroom, taking in the mirror, the toothbrush, the closed shower, the clean tiles, the puddle of blood-

Wait, blood?

His eyes widened, and he turned and ran.

Instincts told him that she would be at the hospital, and upon arriving, he met Tenten. Running a hand through his hair, he was about to ask her if she'd seen the new transfer, before the devil arrived.

He couldn't do anything but stare at her, and from what she could tell from her shaded eyes, she was doing the same. His voice seemed to have stopped working.

Just as Hinata was about to leave, Sasuke had regained himself and called to her. Not knowing where to begin, he went straight to the point.

"When's training?"

He saw her tense, and for a moment, he thought she wasn't going to answer. But softly, almost too quietly that he almost missed it, keen Uchiha ears caught the word.

"Sunset."

He watched her departing, cloaked back until it disappeared and breathed.


End file.
